FREDERIC      REMINGTON 


r- 


SUNDOWN    LEFLARE,   WASHED   AND 
DRESSED   UP 


SUNDOWN 
L  E  F  L  A  R  E 

Written  and  Illustrated  by 
FREDERIC   REMINGTON 


NEW    YOEK    AND    LONDON 

HARPER    &   BROTHERS    PUBLISHERS 

1899 


BY  THE  SAME  AUTHOR. 


CROOKED  TRAILS.     Illustrated  by  the  Author. 
Svo,  Cloth,  Ornamental,  $2  00. 

Mr.  Remington  presents  a  perfect  combination  when 
he  works  with  himself,  supplementing  his  own  letter 
press  with  his  own  illustrations  and  vice  versa. — Albany 
Journal 

PONY  TRACKS.     Illustrated  by  the  Author.     Svo, 
Half  Cloth,  Ornamental,  $1  75. 

The  pictures  are  better  than  the  articles  and  the  arti 
cles  are  very  good  indeed,  which  is  equivalent  to  saying 
that  the  pictures  are  remarkably  fine.  —  Brooklyn  Times. 

NEW  YORK  AND   LONDON  : 
HARPER  &  BROTHERS,  PUBLISHERS. 


Copyright,  1899,  by  HABPKB  &  BBOTIIESS. 

All  right*  rtierved. 


CONTENTS 


PAGE 
THE  GREAT  MEDICINE-HORSE  (An  Indian  Myth 

of  the  Thunder) 3 

How  ORDER  No.  6  WENT  THROUGH  (As  Told 

by  Sundown  Leflare) 25 

SUNDOWN  LEFLARE'S  WARM  SPOT  ....  49 

SUNDOWN  LEFLARE'S  MONEY 73 

SUNDOWN'S  HIGHER  SELF 95 


M110878 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


SUNDOWN  LEFL ARE,  WASHED  AND  DRESSED 

UP Frontispiece 

"HE  JUMP  FROM  HEES  PONY  TO   DEES 

RED  HORSE" Facing  p.      14 

THE  MYSTERY   OF  THE  THUNDER.      .  "  l8 

THE  GOING  OF    THE    MEDICINE-HORSE  "  2O 

"UN  I  WAS  YELL  TERRIBLE"  ...        "         34 
"SHE  WAS  KEEP  OFF  JUS'  FRONT  OF 

MY  PONY" "         38 

"HE    SAIS   HE   WEEL  NOT   PUT  DE 

WOMAN   ON   DE  BLANKET".      .      .  "  58 

"HEES  BEEG  BUFFALO-LANCE  SHE  GO 

CLEAN  TROO  MY  SHOULD AR  "  .  .  "  66 

"I  WAS  GEET  UP  UN  WAS  LOOK  AT 

DE  LEETLE  MAN" "  86 

"HE  WAS  LAUGH  AT  ME  FROM  BE 
TWEEN  DE  WHEEL" "  go 

"  WE  COME  'LONG  SLOW  TROO  DE 

MOUNTAIN" «  IO6 

"  I  SAIS  :  '  YOU  GO  DOWN  DEES  CAN 
YON'"  .  "  IIO 

vii 


THE  GREAT  MEDICINE-HORSE 

AN  INDIAN  MYTH  OF  THE  THUNDER 


THE  GREAT  MEDICINE-HORSE 

AN  INDIAN  MYTH  OF  THE  THUNDER 


"  ITSONEORRATSEAHOOS,"  or  Paint, 
as  the  white  men  called  him,  had  the 
story,  and  had  agreed  to  tell  it  to  me. 
His  tepee  was  not  far,  so  "  Sundown 
Leflare "  said  he  would  go  down  and 
interpret. 

Sundown  was  cross-bred,  red  and 
white,  so  he  never  got  mentally  in  sym 
pathy  with  either  strain  of  his  progen 
itors.  He  knew  about  half  as  much 
concerning  Indians  as  they  did  them 
selves,  while  his  knowledge  of  white 
men  was  in  the  same  proportion.  I 
3 


THE   GREAT   MEDICINE- HORSE 

felt  little  confidence  that  I  should  get 
Paint's  mysterious  musings  transferred 
to  my  head  without  an  undue  propor 
tion  of  dregs  filtered  in  from  Sun 
down's  lack  of  appreciation.  While  the 
latter  had  his  special  interest  for  me, 
the  problem  in  this  case  was  how  to 
eliminate  "  Sundown  "  from  "  Paint." 
So  much  for  interpreters. 

We  trudged  on  through  the  soft  gray- 
blues  of  the  moonlight,  while  drawing 
near  to  some  tepees  grouped  in  the 
creek  bottom.  The  dogs  came  yelling ; 
but  a  charge  of  Indian  dogs  always 
splits  before  an  enemy  which  does  not 
recoil,  and  recovers  itself  in  their  rear. 
There  they  may  become  dangerous. 
Sundown  lifted  the  little  tepee  flap 
and  I  crawled  through.  A  little-  fire  of 
five  or  six  split  sticks  burned  brightly 
in  the  centre,  illuminating  old  Paint  as 
he  lay  back  on  his  resting -mat.  He 
4 


THE  GREAT   MEDICINE-HORSE 

grunted,  but  did  not  move ;  he  was 
smoking.  We  shook  hands,  and  Sun 
down  made  our  peace-offering  to  the 
squaw,  who  sat  at  her  beading.  We 
reclined  upon  the  tepee  and  rolled  cig 
arettes.  There  is  a  solemnity  about  the 
social  intercourse  of  old  Indian  warriors 
which  reminds  me  of  a  stroll  through  a 
winter  forest.  Every  one  knows  by  this 
how  the  interior  of  an  Indian  tepee 
looks,  though  every  one  cannot  neces 
sarily  know  how  it  feels ;  but  most  peo 
ple  who  have  wandered  much  have  met 
with  fleas.  Talk  came  slow  ;  but  that 
is  the  Indian  of  it:  they  think  more 
than  they  talk.  Sundown  explained 
something  at  length  to  Paint,  and  back 
came  the  heavy  guttural  clicking  of  the 
old  warrior's  words,  accompanied  by 
much  subtle  sign  language. 

"  He  sais  he   will   tell  you  'bout  de 
horse.     Now  you  got  for  keep  still  and 
5 


THE   GREAT   MEDICINE- HORSE 

wait ;  he'll  talk  a  heap,  but  you'll  get 
de  story  eef  you  don'  get  oneasy." 

"  Now,  Sundown,  remember  to  tell 
me  just  what  Paint  says.  I  don't  care 
what  you  think  Paint  means,"  I  admon 
ished. 

"  I  step  right  in  hees  tracks." 

Paint  loaded  his  long  red  sandstone 
pipe  with  the  utmost  deliberation,  sat 
up  on  his  back-rest,  and  purled  with  an 
exhaust  like  a  small  stationary  engine. 
The  squaw  put  two  more  sticks  on  the 
fire,  which  spitted  and  fluttered,  light 
ing  up  the  broad  brown  face  of  the  old 
Indian,  while  it  put  a  dot  of  light  in  his 
fierce  little  left  eye.  He  spoke  slowly, 
with  clicking  and  harsh  gutturals,  as 
though  he  had  an  ounce  of  quicksilver 
in  his  mouth  which  he  did  not  want  to 
swallow.  After  a  time  Sundown  raised 
his  hand  to  enjoin  silence. 

"  He  sais  dat  God — not  God,  but  dat 
6 


THE  GREAT   MEDICINE- HORSE 

is  bess  word  I  know  for  white  man  ;  I 
have  been  school,  and  I  know  what  he 
want  for  say  ees  what  you  say  medicin', 
but  dat  ees  not  right.  What  he  want 
for  say  ees  de  ding  what  direct  heem  un 
hees  people  what  is  best  for  do  ;  et  ees 
de  speret  what  tell  de  old  men  who  can 
see  best  when  dey  sleep.  Well — any 
how,  it  was  long,  long  time  ago,  when 
hees  fader  was  young  man,  and  'twas 
hees  fader's  fader  what  it  all  happened 
to.  The  Absarokes  deedn't  have  po 
nies  'nough — de  horses  ware  new  in  de 
country — dey  used  for  get  'em  out  of  a 
lac,*  'way  off  somewhere  —  dey  come 
out  of  ee  water,  and  dese  Enjunf  lay 
in  the  bulrush  for  rope  'em,  but  dey 
couldn't  get  'nough  ;  besides  de  Enjun 
from  up  north  she  use  steal  'em  from 
Absaroke.  Well  —  anyhow,  de  medi 
cin'  tole  hees  fader's  fader  dat  he  would 

*  Lake.  f  Indian. 

7 


THE  GREAT   MEDICINE-HORSE 

get  plenty  of  horses  eef  he  go  'way 
south.  So  small  party  went  long  wid 
heem — dey  was  on  foot — dey  was  trav 
el  for  long  time,  keep  in  de  foothill. 
Dey  was  use  for  travel  night  un  lay  by 
daytime,  'cept  when  dey  was  hunt  for 
de  grub.  De  country  was  full  up  wid 
deir  enemie,  but  de  medicin'  hit  was 
strong,  and  de  luck  was  weed  'em.  De 
medicin'  hit  keep  tellin'  'em  for  go  'long 
— go  on — on — on — keep  goin'  long,  long 
time.  He's  been  tellin'  me  de  names 
of  revers  dey  cross,  but  you  wouldn't 
know  dem  plass  by  what  he  call  'em. 
Dey  keep  spyin'  camps,  but  the  medi 
cin'  he  keep  tellin'  'em  for  go  on,  go  on, 
un  not  bodder  dem  camp,  un  so  dey 
keep  goin'." 

Here  Sundown  motioned  Paint,  and 

he   started    his    strange,   high-pitched 

voice  —  winking  and  moving  his  hands 

at  Sundown,  who  was  rolling  a  cigarette, 

8 


THE  GREAT   MEDICINE-HORSE 

though  keeping  his    eyes   on   the  old 
Indian.     Presently  the  talking  ceased. 

"He  sais — dey  went  on — what  he  is 
tryin'  for  say  ees  dey  went  on  so  far  hit 
was  heap  hot,  un  de  Enjun  dey  was 
deeferent  from  what  dees  Enjun  is. 
He's  tryin'  for  to  get  so  far  off  dat  I 
don'  know  for  tell  you  how  far  he  ees." 

"  Never  mind,  Sundown ;  you  stick  to 
Paint's  story,"  I  demanded. 

«  Well — anyhow — he's  got  dees  out 
fit  hell  of  a  long  way  from  home,  un 
dey  met  up  wid  a  camp  un  heap  of 
pony.  He  was  try  tell  how  many  pony 
—like  the  buffalo  use  be— more  pony 
dan  you  see  ober,  by  Gar.  Den  de 
medicin'  say  dey  was  for  tac  dose  pony 
eef  dey  can.  Well,  den  de  outfit  lay 
roun'  camp  wid  de  wolf-skin  on  —  de 
white  wolf.  De  Enjun  he  do  jus'  same 
as  wolf,  un  fool  de  oder  Enjun,  you  see; 
well,  den  come  one  night  dey  got  de 
9 


THE  GREAT   MEDICINE- HORSE 

herds  whar  dey  wanted  'em,  un  cut  out 
all  they  could  drive.  Et  was  terrible 
big  bunch,  'cording  as  Paint  say.  Dey 
drive  'em  all  night  un  all  nex'  day,  wid 
de  horse-guides  ahead,  un  de  oders  be- 
hin',  floppin'  de  wolf-robe,  un  Paint  say 
de  grass  will  nevar  grow  where  dey  pass 
'long ;  but  I  dink,  by  Gar,  Paint  ees 
talk  t'ro'  hees  hat." 

"  Never  mind  —  I  don't  want  you  to 
think  —  you  just  freeze  to  old  Paint's 
talk,  Mr.  Sundown,"  I  interlarded. 

"  Well,  den— damn  'em,  after  dey  had 
spoil  de  grass  for  'bout  night  un  day  de 
people  what  dey  had  stole  from  come 
a~runnin'.  Et  was  hard  for  drive  such 
beeg  bunch  fas'  —  dey  ought  for  have 
tac  whole  outfit  un  put  'em  foot ;  but 
Paint  say — un  he's  been  horse-tief  too 
hisself,  by  Gar  —  he  say  dey  natu'lly 
couldn't  ;  but  I  say — " 

"  Never  mind  what  you  say." 

10 


THE  GREAT    MEDICINE- HORSE 

"  Well,  anyhow,  I  say — " 

"  Never  mind,  Sundown  !" 

"  Well,  ole  Paint  he  say  same  t'ing. 
"  De  oder  fellers  kim  up  wid  'em,  so 
just  natu'lly  dey  went  fightin'  ;  but  dey 
had  extra  horses,  un  de  oder  fellers  dey 
didn't,  'cep'  what  was  fall  out  of  bunch, 
dem  bein'  slow  horses,  un  horses  what 
was  no  'count  noway.  Dey  went  run- 
nin'  un  fightin'  '  way  in  de  night ;  but 
de  herd  split  on  'em,  un  he's  fader's 
fader  went  wid  one  bunch,  un  de  oder 
fellers  went  wid  de  '  split,'  which  no 
one  neber  heard  of  no  more.  De  men 
what  had  loss  de  horses  all  went  after 
de  oder  bunch.  Hees  fader's  fader 
rode  all  dat  night,  all  nex'  day,  un  den 
stopped  for  res'.  Dar  was  only  'bout 
ten  men  for  look  after  de  herd,  which 
was  more  horses  dan  you  kin  see  een 
dees  valley  to-day ;  what  ees  more  horses 
dan  ten  men  kin  wrangle,  'cordin'  to  me." 
ii 


THE  GREAT   MEDICINE- HORSE 

"  Never  mind,  Sundown." 

"Let  'er  roll,  Paint,"  said  Leflare,  be 
ginning  a  new  cigarette. 

"He  sais,"  interrupted  Sundown, 
"dey  was  go  'long  slow,  slow  — goin' 
towards  de  village — when  one  day  dey 
was  jump  by  dose  Cheyenne.  Dey  went 
runnin'  an'  fightin'  till  come  night,  un 
couldn't  drive  de  herd  rightly.  Dey 
loss  heap  of  horses,  but  as  dey  come 
onto  divide,  dey  saw  camp  right  in 
front  of  dem.  It  was  'mos'  night,  so 
four  or  five  of  hees  fader's  fader's  men 
dey  cut  out  a  beeg  bunch,  and  spilt  hit 
off  down  a  coulie.  De  Enjun  foller  de 
oder  bunch,  which  ram  right  eento  de 
village,  whar  the  'hole  outfit  went  for 
fight  lac  *  hell.  Paint's  fader's  fader  she 
saw  dees  as  she  rode  ober  de  hill.  Dey 
was  loss  heap  of  men  dat  day  by  bein' 
kill  un  by  run  eento  dose  camp — lese- 
*  Like. 

12 


THE   GREAT   MEDICINE-HORSE 

wise  none  of  dem  ever  show  up  no 
more.  Well,  den,  Paint  say  dey  was 
keep  travellin'  on  up  dees  way — hit  was 

tac  heem  d long  story  for  geet  hees 

fader's  fader's  outfit  back  here,  wheech 
ees  hall  right,  seem'  he  got  'em  so  far 
'way  for  begin  wid." 

Then  Paint  continued  his  story : 
"  He  sais  de  Sioux  struck  'em  one 
day,  un  dey  was  have  hell  of  a  fight — 
runnin'  deir  pony,  shootin'  deir  arrow. 
One  man  he  was  try  mount  fresh  horse, 
she  stan'  steel  un  buck,  buck,  buck,  un 
dees  man  he  was  not  able  for  geet  on  ; 
de  Sioux  dey  come  run,  run,  un  dey 
kiell*  heem.  You  see,  when  one  man 
he  catch  fresh  horse,  he  alway'  stab  hees 
played-out  horse,  'cause  he  do  not  want 
eet  for  fall  eento  hand  of  de  Enjun  fol- 
lerin'.  Den  White  Bull's  horse  she  run 
slow ;  he  '  quirt '  heem,  but  eet  was  do 
*  Kill. 
13 


THE   GREAT   MEDICINE- HORSE 

no  good — ze  horse  was  done  ;  de  Sioux 
dey  was  shoot  de  horse,  im  no  one  know 
whatever  becom'  of  heem,  but  I  dink  he 
was  kiell  all  right  'nough.  Den  'noder 
man's  horse  she  was  stick  hees  foot  in 
dog-hole,  un  de  Sioux  dey  shoot  las' 
man  'cept  hees  fader's  fader.  Den  he 
was  notice  a  beeg  red  horse  what  had 
alway'  led  de  horse  ban'  since  dey  was 
stole.  Dese  Enjun  had  try  for  rope 
dees  horse  plenty  times,  but  dey  was 
never  been  able,  but  hees  fader's  fader 
was  ride  up  to  de  head  of  de  ban',  un 
jus'  happen  for  rope  de  red  horse.  He 
jump  from  hees  pony  to  dees  red  horse 
jus'  as  Sioux  was  'bout  to  run  heem 
down.  De  big  red  horse  was  run — run 
run  lac  hell  —  ah  !  He  was  run,  by 
Gar,  un  de  Sioux  dey  was — aah  ! — de 
Sioux  dey  couldn't  run  wid  de  big  red 
horse  nohow. 

"  He  was  gone  now  half-year,  un  he 
14 


THE   GREAT   MEDICINE- HORSE 

deed  not  know  where  he  find  hees  peo 
ple.  He  was  see  coyote  runnin'  'head, 
un  he  was  say  *  good  medicinY  He 
foller  after  leetle  wolf — he  was  find  two 
buffalo  what  was  kiell  by  lightnin',  what 
show  coyote  was  good  medicin'.  He 
was  give  coyote  some  meat,  un  nex'  day 
he  was  run  on  some  Absaroke,  who  was 
tell  him  whar  hees  people  was,  wheech 
was  show  how  good  de  coyote  was. 
When  he  got  camp  de  Enjun  was  ter 
rible  broke  up,  un  dey  had  nevar  before 
see  red  horse.  All  of  deir  horses  was 
black,  gray,  spotted,  roan,  but  none  of 
dem  was  red — so  dees  horse  was  tac  to 
de  big  medicin'  in  de  medicin'-lodge, 
un  he  was  paint  up.  He  got  be  strong 
wid  Absaroke,  un  hees  fader's  fader  was 
loss  horse  because  he  was  keep  in  medi- 
cin'-tepee,  un  look  after  by  big  medicin'- 
chiefs.  Dey  was  give  out  eef  he  was 
loss  eet  would  be  bad,  bad  for  Absa- 
15 


THE   GREAT   MEDICINE-HORSE 

roke,  un  dey  was  watch  out  mighty  close 
— by  Gar,  dey  was  watch  all  time  dees 
red  horse.  When  he  go  out  for  graze, 
t'ree  warriors  was  hole  hees  rope  un 
t'ree  was  sit  on  deir  pony  'longside.  No 
one  was  ride  heem." 

Then,  talking  alternately,  the  story 
came :  "  He  sais  de  horse  of  de  Absa- 
roke  was  increase — plenty  pony — un  de 
mare  he  was  all  red  colts ;  de  big  horse 
was  strong.  De  buffalo  dey  was  come 
right  to  de  camp — by  Gar,  de  horse  was 
good.  De  Sioux  sent  Peace  Commis 
sion  for  try  buy  de  horse — dey  was  do 
beesness  for  Enjun  down  whar  de  sum 
mer  come  from,  what  want  for  geet  heem 
back — for  he  was  a  medicin'-horse.  De 
Absaroke  dey  was  not  sell  heem.  Den 
a  big  band  of  de  Ogalalas,  Bruits,  Min- 
neconjous,  Sans  Arcs,  Cheyennes,  was 
come  for  tac  de  red  horse,  dey  was  kiell 
one  village,  but  dare  was  one  man  'scape, 
16 


THE  GREAT   MEDICINE-HORSE 

what  was  come  to  red  horse,  un  de  Ab- 
saroke  dey  was  put  de  red  paint  on  deir 
forehead.  Ah !  de  Sioux  dey  was  not 
get  de  red  horse  —  dey  was  haf  to  go 
'way.  Den  some  time  de  beeg  medi- 
cin'-horse  was  have  hell  of  a  trouble  wid 
de  bigges'  medicin'-chief,  right  in  de  big 
medicin- lodge.  Dees  word  median' 
don't  mean  what  de  Enjun  mean  ;  de 
tent  whar  de  sperets  come  for  tell  de 
people  what  for  do,  ees  what  dey  mean  ; 
all  same  as  Fader  Lacomb  he  prance 
'roun'  when  he  not  speak  de  French — 
dat's  what  dey  mean.  All  right,  he 
have  dees  trouble  wid  de  head  chief,  un 
he  keek  heem  een  de  head,  un  he  kiell 
him  dead.  After  dat  he  was  get  for  be 
head  medicin'-chief  hisself,  un  he  tole 
all  de  oder  medicin'  -chief  what  for  do. 
He  was  once  run  'way  from  de  men 
what  was  hoi'  hees  rope  when  he  was 
graze  —  dey  was  scared  out  of  deir 
B  17 


THE  GREAT   MEDICINE-HORSE 

life  of  heem  eef  dey  was  mak*  heem 
mad,  un  he  was  go  out  een  herd  un 
kiell  some  horse.  No  one  was  dare  go 
after  heem.  De  medicin'-men  dey  was 
go  out  wid  de  big  medicin'  —  dey  was 
talk  come  back  to  heem ;  but  he 
wouldn't  come.  Den  de  virgin  woman 
of  de  tribe  —  she  was  kind  of  medicin'- 
man  herself  —  she  was  go  out  un  make 
a  talk ;  she  was  tell  red  horse  to  go  off 
— dat's  de  way  for  talk  to  people  when 
deir  minds  not  lac  oder  people's  minds 
— un  de  horse  she  was  let  heem  bring 
heem  back.  After  dat  all  de  Absaroke 
women  had  for  behave  preety  well,  or 
de  medicin'-men  kiell  dem,  'cause  dey 
say  de  medicin'-horse  she  was  want  de 
woman  for  be  better  in  de  tribe.  Be 

d good  t'ing  eef  dat  horse  she  'roun' 

here  now." 

"  Oh,  you  reptile !  will  you  never  mind 
this  thinking— it  is  fatal !"  I  sighed. 
18 


THE   MYSTERY   OF   THE   THUNDER 


THE   GREAT   MEDICINE-HORSE 

"  Well,  anyhow,  he  sais  de  woman 
dey  was  have  many  pappoose,  un  de 
colts  was  red,  un  was  not  curly  hair,  un 
de  '  yellow  eyes  '*  was  come  wid  de 
gun  for  trade  skin.  De  buffalo  she  was 
stay  late ;  de  winter  was  mile ;  de  ene 
my  no  steal  de  pony,  un  de  Absaroke 
he  tac  heap  scalp  —  all  dese  was  medi- 
cin'-horse  work.  But  in  de  moon  een 
which  de  geese  lay  deir  eggs  de  great 
horse  he  was  rise  up  een  de  curl  of  de 
smoke  of  de  big  lodge — he  was  go  plum' 
t'ro  de  smoke -hole.  De  chief  ask  him 
for  not  go,  but  he  was  say  he  was  go 
to  fight  de  T'under-Bird.  He  say  he 
would  come  back.  Dey  could  keep  his 
ghost.  So  he  went  'way,  un  since  den 
he  has  nevar  come  back  no  more.  But 
Paint  say  lots  of  ole  men  use  for  see 
heem  go  t'ro'  air  wid  de  lightnin'  comin' 
out  of  his  nose,  de  T'under-Bird  al- 

*  White  men. 
'9 


THE  GREAT   MEDICINE- HORSE 

ways  runnin'  out  of  hees  way ;  he  was 
always  lick  de  t'under.  Paint  say  dese 
Enjun  have  not  yet  see  de  medicin'- 
horse  nowday ;  eef  dey  was  seen  heem 
more,  dey  see  no  'yellow  eyes'  een 
dees  country.  He  sais  he  has  seen  de 
medicin'  -  horse  once.  He  was  hunt 
over  een  de  mountain,  but  he  was  not 
have  no  luck;  he  was  hungry,  un  was 
lay  down  by  leetle  fire  een  canon.  He 
was  see  de  beeg  medicin'-horse  go  'long 
de  ridge  of  de  hill  'gainst  de  moon — he 
was  beeg  lac  de  new  school -house. 
Paint  got  up  un  talked  loud  to  de 
horse,  askin'  heem  eef  he  was  nevar 
come  back.  De  horse  stop  un  sais — 
muffled,  lac  man  talk  t'ro'  blanket- 
Yes,  he  was  come  back  from  speret- 
land,  when  he  was  bring  de  buffalo 
plenty ;  was  roll  de  Ian'  over  de  white 
men ;  was  fight  de  north  wind.  He 
sais  he  was  come  back  when  de  Absa- 

20 


THE    GOING   OF    THE   MEDICINE-HORSE 


THE   GREAT   MEDICINE-HORSE 

roke  was  not  wear  pants,  was  ride  wid- 
out  de  saddle  ;  when  de  women  was  on 
de  square — un,  by  Gar,  I  t'ink  he  not 
come  varrie  soon." 

"  What  does  Paint  say  ?" 

"  Ah,  Paint  he  sais  hit  weel  all  come 
some  day." 

"Is  that  all?" 

"  Yes — dat  ees  all,"  said  Sundown. 

To  be  sure,  there  is  quite  as  much 
Sundown  in  this  as  Paint — but  if  you 
would  have  more  Paint,  it  will  be  neces 
sary  to  acquire  the  Crow  language,  and 
then  you  might  not  find  Paint's  story 
just  as  I  have  told  it. 


HOW  ORDER   NO.  6  WENT 
THROUGH 

AS    TOLD    BY  SUNDOWN    LEFLARE 


HOW  ORDER   NO.  6  WENT 
THROUGH 

AS    TOLD    BY    SUNDOWN    LEFLARE 


WE  were  full  of  venison  and  coffee 
as  we  gathered  close  around  the  camp- 
fire,  wiping  the  fitful  smoke  out  of  our 
eyes  alternately  as  it  came  our  way. 

"  It's  blowing  like  the  devil,"  said  the 
sportsman,  as  he  turned  up  his  face  to 
the  pine-trees. 

"  Yees,  sair.  Maybeso  dar  be  grass 
fire  secon'  ting  we  know,"  coincided 
Sundown  Leflare. 

Silver -Tip,  the  one  who  drove  the 
wagon,  stood  with  his  back  to  us,  gaz- 
25 


HOW   ORDER   NO.  6 

ing  out  across  the  mountain  to  an  omi 
nous  red  glare  far  to  the  south.  "  Ef 
that  forest  fire  gets  into  Black  Canyon, 
we'll  be  straddlin'  out  of  yer  all  sorts 
of  gaits  before  mornin',"  he  remarked. 

"Cole  night,"  observed  Bear -Claw, 
which  having  exhausted  his  stock  of 
English,  he  spoke  further  to  Fire-Bear, 
but  his  conversation  was  opaque  to  us. 

"  Look  at  the  stars !"  continued  the 
sportsman. 

"  Yes — pore  critters — they  have  got 
to  stay  out  all  night ;  but  I  am  going 
to  turn  in.  It's  dam  cold,"  and  Silver- 
Tip  patted  and  mauled  at  his  blankets. 

"  What  was  the  coldest  night  you 
ever  saw  ?"  I  asked. 

He  pulled  off  his  boots,  saying :  "Seen 
heap  of  cold  nights — dun'no'  what  was 
the  coldest  —  reckon  I  put  in  one  over 
on  the  Bull  Mountains,  winter  of  '80, 
that  I  ain't  going  to  forget.  If  nex'  day 
26 


WENT  THROUGH 

hadn't  been  a  Chinook,  reckon  I'd  be 
thar  now." 

"  You  have  been  nearly  frozen,  I  sup 
pose,  Sundown?"  I  added. 

"  Yees,  sair — I  was  cole  once  all 
right." 

"  Ah — the  old  coffee-cooler,  he's  been 
cold  plenty  of  times.  Any  man  what 
lives  in  a  tepee  has  been  cold,  I  reckon  ; 
they've  been  that  way  six  months  for  a 
stretch,"  and  having  made  this  good- 
natured  contribution,  Silver-Tip  pulled 
his  blanket  over  his  head. 

Sundown's  French  nervousness  rose. 
"  Ah — dat  mule-skinner,  what  she  know 
'bout  cole  ?  —  she  freeze  on  de  green 
grass.  I  freeze  seex  day  in  de  middle 
of  de  wintar  over  dar  Buford.  By  gar, 
dat  weare  freeze  too  !  Come  dam  near 
put  my  light  out.  Um-m-m !"  and  I 
knew  that  Sundown  was  my  prey. 

"How  was  that?" 
27 


HOW   ORDER    NO.    6 

"Over  Fort  Keough  —  I  was  scout 
for  Ewers  —  she  was  chief  scout  for 
Miles,"  went  on  Leflare. 

"  Yas,  I  was  scout  too — over  Keough 
— same  time,"  put  in  Ramon,  the  club- 
footed  Mexican. 

"  Yees,  Ramon  was  scout  too.  Say — 
Miles  she  beeg  man  Eas' — hey  ?  I  see 
her  come  troo  agency — well,  fall  of  '90. 
Ah,  she  ole  man  ;  don'  look  like  she  use 
be  sebenty-seben.  Good-lookin'  den." 

"  Wall — what  you  spect?"  sighed  his 
congener  Ramon,  in  a  harsh  interrup 
tion.  "  I  was  good-lookin'  mon  myselef 
— sebenty-seben." 

"  You  weare  buy  more  squaw  dan  you 
weare  eber  steal  —  you  ole  frog.  Dat 
Miles  she  was  mak  heap  of  trouble  up 
dees  way.  I  was  geet  sebenty  dollar  a 
month.  She  not  trouble  my  people, 
but  she  was  no  good  for  Cheyenne  un 
Sioux.  Dey  was  nevar  have  one  good 
28 


WENT    THROUGH 

night  sleep  af  er  she  was  buil'  de  log 
house  on  de  Tongue  Riviere.  Ah,  ha, 
we  was  have  hell  of  a  time  dem  day' — 
don'  we,  Wolf-Voice?"  and  that  worthy 
threw  up  his  head  quickly,  and  said, 
"  Umph !" 

"  Well — I  was  wid  my  ole  woman  set 
in  de  lodge  one  day.  Eet  was  cole. 
Lieutent  Ewers  she  send  for  me.  I 
was  know  I  was  got  for  tak  eet  or  lose 
de  sebenty.  Well,  I  tak  eet.  Eet  was 
cole. 

"  I  was  tink  since,  it  weare  dam  good 
ting  I  lose  dat  sebenty.  I  was  geet  two 
pony,  un  was  go  to  log  house,  where  de 
officier  she  write  all  time  in  de  book. 
Lieutent  was  say  I  go  to  Buford.  I 
was  say  eet  dam  cole  weddar  for  Bu 
ford.  Lieutent  was  say  I  dam  coffee- 
cooler.  Well — I  was  not.  Sitts-on-the- 
Point  and  Dick,  she  white  man,  was 
order  go  Buford  wid  me.  Lieutent 
29 


HOW   ORDER   NO.  6 

was  say,  when  she  han'  me  beeg  lettair 
wid  de  red  button, '  You  keep  eet  clean, 
Leflare,  un  you  go  troo.'  I  tole  heem 
I  was  go  troo,  eef  eet  was  freeze  de 
steamboat. 

"  We  was  go  out  of  de  fort  on  our 
pony — wid  de  led  horse.  We  was  tak' 
nothin'  to  eat,  'cause  we  was  eat  de 
buffalo.  I  was  look  lak  de  leetle  buffa 
lo —  all  skin.  Skin  hat  —  skin  robe — 
skin  leggin — you  shoot  me  eef  you  see 
me.  Eet  was  cole.  We  weare  ride  lak 
hell.  When  we  was  geet  to  Big  Dry, 
Dick  she  say,  '  Your  pony  no  good ; 
your  pony  not  have  de  oat ;  you  go 
back.'  He  says  he  mak  Buford  to-mor 
row  night.  I  say,  *  Yees,  we  go  back 
to-morrow.' 

"  We  mak  leetle  sleep,  un  Sitts-on- 

the-  Point  he  go  back  Keough,  but  I 

geets   crazy,  un   say  I    brave   man ;    I 

weel  not  go  back ;   I  weel  go  Buford, 

30 


WENT  THROUGH 

or  give  de  dinner  to  de  dam  coyote.    I 
weel  go. 

"  My  pony  he  was  not  able  for  run, 
un  Dick  she  go  over  de  heel — I  was  see 
her  no  more.  I  was  watch  out  for  de 
buffalo — all  day  was  watch.  I  was  hun 
gry  ;  dar  was  nothin'  een  me.  All 
right,  I  was  go  top  of  de  heel — I  was 
not  see  a  buffalo.  All  dese  while  I  was 
head  for  de  Mountain -Sheep  Buttes, 
where  I  know  Gros  Ventre  camp  up  by 
Buford.  Eet  was  blow  de  snow,  un  I 
was  walk  heap  for  keep  warm.  I  was 
tink,  eef  no  buffalo,  no  Gros  Ventre 
camp  for  Leflare,  by  gar.  I  was  marry 
Gros  Ventre  woman  once,  un  eef  I  was 
geet  dar  I  be  all  right.  De  snow  she 
blow,  un  I  could  see  not  a  ting.  When 
eet  geet  dark,  I  was  not  know  where  I 
was  go,  un  was  lay  down  een  de  willow 
bush.  Oh,  de  cole  —  how  de  hell  you 
spect  I  sleep?  —  not  sleep  one  wink, 


HOW   ORDER   NO.  6 

'cept  one.  Well,  my  pony  was  try 
break  away,  but  I  was  watch  'im,  'cept 
dat  one  wink.  De  dam  pony  what  was 
led  horse,  she  was  geet  off  een  de  one 
wink.  I  see  her  track  een  de  mornin', 
but  I  was  not  able  for  run  him  wid  de 
order  pony.  He  was  geet  clean  away. 
'Bout  dat  I  was  sorry,  for  een  de  day 
time  I  was  go  keel  heem  eef  no  buf 
falo. 

"  Een  de  morniu'  de  win'  she  blow ; 
de  snow  she  blow  too.  Eet  was  long 
time  'fore  I  untie  my  lariat,  un  couldn't 
geet  on  pony  'tall — all  steef — all  froze. 
I  walk  long — walk  long  ;"  and  Sundown 
shrugged  up  his  shoulders  and  eyebrows, 
while  he  shut  down  his  eyes  and  mouth 
in  a  most  forlorn  way.  He  had  the 
quick,  nervous  French  delivery  of  his 
father,  coupled  with  the  harsh  voice  of 
his  Indian  mother.  There  was  also 
much  of  the  English  language  employed 
32 


WENT   THROUGH 

by  this  waif  of  the  plains  which,  I  know, 
you  will  forgive  me  if  I  do  not  intro 
duce. 

"  I  deedn't  know  where  I  was — I  was 
los' — couldn't  see  one  ting.  Was  keep 
under  cut  bank  for  dodge  win'.  De 
enow  she  bank  up  een  plass,  mak  me 
geet  out  on  de  pararie,  den  de  win'  she 
mak  me  hump.  Pony  he  was  heavy  leg 
for  punch  troo  de  snow.  All  time  I  was 
watch  out  for  buffalo,  but  dar  was  no 
buffalo;"  and  Sundown's  voice  rose  in 
sympathy  with  the  frightful  condition 
which  haunted  his  memory. 

"  Begin  tink  my  medicin'  was  go 
plumb  back  on  me.  Den  I  tink  Ewers 
— wish  she  out  here  wid  dam  ole  or 
der.  Eet  mak  me  mad.  Order  —  all 
time  order  —  by  gar,  order  soldier  to 
change  hees  shirt  —  scout  go  two  hun 
dred  miles.  My  belly  she  draw  up  like 
tomtom,  un  my  head  go  roun',  roun', 
c  33 


HOW   ORDER   NO.  6 

lak  ting  Ramon  was  mak  de  hair  rope 
wid ;  my  han'  she  shake  lak  de  leaf 
de  plum-tree.  I  was  fall  down  under 
cut  bank,  wid  pony  rope  tie  roun'  me. 
Pony  he  stay,  or  tak  me  wid  heem. 
How  long  I  lay — well,  I  dun'no',  but  I 
was  cole  un  wak  up.  Eet  was  steel — de 
star  she  shine ;  de  win'  she  stop  blow. 
Long  time  I  was  geet  up  slow.  I  was 
move  leetle  —  move  leetle — deen  I  was 
move  queek — move  leetle — move  queek. 
All  right — you  eat  ten  deer  reebs  while 
I  was  geet  up  un  stan'  on  my  feet.  Pony 
he  was  white  wid  de  snow  un  de  fros'. 
Buffalo-robe  she  steef  lak  de  wagon  box. 
Long  time  I  was  move  my  finger — was 
try  mak  fire,  un  after  while  she  blaze 
up.  Ah,  good  fire  —  she  steek  in  my 
head.  Me  un  pony  we  geet  thaw  out 
one  side,  den  oder  side.  I  was  look  at 
pony — pony  was  look  at  me.  By  gar — 
I  tink  he  was  'fraid  I  eat  heem ;  but  I 
34 


"UN    I    WAS    YELL   TERRIBLE 


WENT   THROUGH 

was  say  no — I  eat  him  by-un-by.  I  was 
melt  de  snow  een  my  tin  cup  —  was 
drink  de  hot  water — eet  mak  me  strong. 
Den  come  light  I  was  ride  to  beeg  butte, 
look  all  roun'  —  all  over,  but  couldn't 
tell  where  I  was.  Den  I  was  say,  no 
buffalo  I  go  Missouri  Riviere. 

"  Long  time,  I  was  come  to  de  buffa 
lo.  Dey  was  all  roun' — oh,  everywhere 
— well,  hundred  yard.  When  I  was 
geet  up  close,  I  was  aim  de  gun  for 
shoot.  I  couldn't  hole  dat  gun  —  she 
was  wabble  lak  de  pony  tail  een  de  fly- 
time.  All  right,  I  shoot  un  shoot  at  de 
dam  buffalo,  but  I  neber  heet  eem  'tall 
— all  run  off.  My  head  she  swim  ;  my 
han'  she  shake ;  my  belly  she  come  up 
een  my  neck  un  go  roun'  lak  she  come 
untie.  I  almos'  cry. 

"  Well  —  I  dun'no'  jus'  what  den. 
Tears  lak  my  head  she  go  plumb  off. 
I  was  wave  my  gun  ;  was  say  I  not 
35 


HOW   ORDER   NO.  6 

afraid  of  de  Sioux.  Dam  de  Sioux! 
— I  was  fight  all  de  Sioux  in  de  wotT. 
I  was  go  over  de  snow  fight  dem,  un  I 
was  yell  terrible.  Eet  seem  lak  all  de 
Sioux,  all  de  Cheyenne,  all  de  Assini- 
boine,  all  de  bad  Enjun  een  de  woiT, 
she  come  out  of  de  sky,  all  run  dar 
pony  un  wave  dar  gun.  I  could  hear 
dar  pony  gallop  ovar  my  head.  I  was 
fight  'em  all,  but  dey  went  'way. 

"A  girl  what  I  was  use  know  she 
come  drop — drop  out  of  de  sky.  She 
had  kettle  of  boil  meat,  but  she  was  not 
come  right  up — was  keep  off  jus'  front 
of  my  pony.  I  was  run  after  de  girl, 
but  she  was  float  'long  front  of  me — I 
could  not  catch  her.  Den  I  don'  know 
nothin'. 

"  Black   George    un    Flyin'    Medicin' 

was  two  scout  come  to  Keough    from 

Fort  Peck.     Dey  saw  me  un  follow  me 

— dey  was  go  to  keel  me,  but  dey  see  I 

36 


WENT   THROUGH 

was  Leflare,  so  dey  rope  my  pony,  tak 
me  een  brush,  mak  fire,  un  give  me 
leetle  meat.  By  come  night  I  was  feel 
good — was  geet  strong. 

"  We  was  'fraid  of  de  Assiniboine— 
'cause  de  order  fellers  had  seen  beeg 
sign.  I  sais  let  us  go  'way  mile  or  so 
un  leave  fire  burn  here. 

"  Black  George  he  sais  he  no  dam  ole 
woman — he  brav  man — fight  dem — no 
care  dam  for  Assiniboine. 

"I  say  to  myself,  all  right  —  Assini 
boine  been  foller  you.  I  go. 

"  Flyin'  Medicin'  he  want  for  go,  but 
George  he  sais  Assiniboine  scare  wom 
an  wid  hees  pony  track  —  umph  !  un 
Flyin'  Medicin'  she  sais  she  no  ole 
woman.  I  say,  by  gar,  I  am  woman  ;  I 
have  got  sense.  You  wan'  stay  here 
you  be  dead.  Den  I  tak  my  pony  un 
I  go  'way  een  de  dark,  but  I  look  back 
dar  un  see  Medicin',  she  lie  on  de  robe, 
37 


HOW   ORDER   NO.  6 

Black  George  she  set  smoke  de  pipe, 
un  a  gray  dog  he  set  on  de  order  side, 
all  een  de  firelight.  I  sais  dam  fools. 

"  Well,  I  got  for  tell  what  happen. 
When  I  was  go  'bout  mile  I  was  lay 
down.  'Bout  one  hour  I  hear  hell  of 
shootin'.  I  geet  up  queek,  climb  pony, 
run  lak  hell.  I  was  ole  woman,  un  I 
was  dam  glad  for  be  ole  woman.  Eet 
was  dark ;  pony  was  very  thin  ;  all  same 
I  make  heap  of  trail  'fore  mornin'  bes' 
I  could." 

I  asked  Sundown  what  made  the 
shooting. 

"Oh — Black  George  camp — course  I 
deedn't  know,  but  I  was  tink  strong  eet 
bee  hees  camp  all  right  'nough.  Long 
time  after  I  hear  how  'twas.  Well — 
dey  lay  dar  by  de  fire  —  Medicin'  on 
hees  back — George  she  set  up — dog  he 
set  up  order  side — Assiniboine  come  on 
dar  trail.  I  was  ole  woman — eef  not, 
38 


WENT   THROUGH 

maybeso    I   was  set  by  de   fire  too — 
humph  ! 

"  George  he  geet  no  chance  fight 
Assiniboine.  Dey  fire  on  hees  camp, 
shoot  Flyin'  Median'  five  time  —  all 
troo  chest,  all  troo  leg,  all  troo  neck — 
all  shoot  up.  Black  George  she  was 
shot  t'ree  time  troo  lef  arm ;  un,  by 
gar,  gray  dog  she  keel  too.  Black 
George  grab  hees  gun  un  was  run  jump 
down  de  cut  bank.  Assiniboine  was 
rush  de  camp  un  run  off  de  pony,  but 
George  she  was  manage  wid  her  lef 
han'  to  shoot  over  cut  bank,  un  dey 
was  not  dare  tak  Medicin's  hair.  Black 
George  he  was  brave  man.  He  was  talk 
beeg,  but  he  was  as  beeg  as  hees  talk. 
He  was  scout  roun',  un  was  see  no  As 
siniboine  ;  he  was  come  to  Flyin'  Medi 
an',  who  was  go  gurgle,  gurgle — oh,  he 
was  all  shot  —  all  blood" — and  here 
Sundown  made  a  noise  which  was  aw- 
39 


HOW  ORDER   NO.  6 

fully  realistic  and  quite  unprintable, 
showing  clearly  that  he  had  seen  men 
who  were  past  all  surgery. 

"  George  she  raise  Medicin'  up,  was 
res'  hees  head  on  hees  arm,  un  den 
Medicin'  was  give  heem  hell.  He  was 
say  :  '  Deedn't  I  tole  you  ?  By  gar, 
you  dam  brave  man ;  you  dam  beeg 
fool!  You  do  as  I  tole  you,  we  be 
'live,  by  gar.  Now  our  time  has  come.' 
When  he  could  speak  again — when  he 
had  speet  out  de  blood — he  sais,  '  Go 
geet  my  war -bag — geet  out  my  war- 
bonnet — my  bead  shirt — my  bead  moc 
casins —  put  'em  on  me  —  my  time 
has  come';  un  Black  George  she  geet 
out  all  de  fine  war -clothes,  un  she 
dress  Medicin'  up — all  up  een  de  war- 
clothes.  *  Put  my  medicin'-bag  on  my 
breas' — good-bye,  Black  George,  keek 
de  fire — good-bye ' ;  un  Medicin'  die  all 


right. 


40 


WENT   THROUGH 

"  Course  Black  George  she  put  out  a 
foot  un  mak  trail  for  Keough.  He  was 
haf  awful  time  ;  was  seex  day  geet  to 
buffalo -hunter  camp,  where  she  was 
crawl  mos'  of  de  way.  De  hunter  was 
geeve  heem  de  grub,  un  was  pull  heem 
to  Keough  een  dar  wagon.  Reckon  he 
was  cole  —  all  de  blood  run  out  hees 
arm — nothin'  to  eat — seex  day — reckon 
dat  ole  mule -skinner  she  tink  she  was 
cole  eef  she  Black  George." 

"What  became  of  you  meanwhile?" 

"  Me  ?  Well  —  I  was  not  stop  until 
come  bright  day  ;  den  my  pony  was  go 
deese  way,  was  go  dat  way  " — here  Sun 
down  spread  out  his  finger-tips  on  the 
ground  and  imitated  the  staggering  fore 
feet  of  a  horse. 

"  I  was  res'   my  pony  half  day,  un 

was  try  keel  buffalo,  but  I  was  weak 

lak  leetle   baby.      My  belly  was   draw 

Up  —  Was  go  roun' — was  turn  upside- 

41 


HOW   ORDER   NO.  6 

down — was  hurt  me  lak  I  had  wile-cat 
inside  my  reebs.  De  buffalo  was  roun' 
dar.  One  minute  I  see  'em  all  right, 
nex'  minute  dey  go  roun'  lak  dey  was 
all  drunk.  No  use  —  I  could  not  keel 
buffalo.  Eet  was  Gros  Ventre  camp  or 
bus'  Leflare  wid  me  den.  All  time  eet 
very  cole  ;  fros*  go  pop,  pop  under  pony 
feet.  Guess  I  look  lak  dead  man — 
guess  I  feel  dam  sight  worse.  Dat  seex 
day  she  mak  me  very  ole  man. 

"  I  was  haf  go  slow — pony  he  near 
done — jus'  walk  'long.  I  deedn't  care 
dam  for  Assiniboine  now.  De  gray 
wolf  he  was  follow  'long  behin' — two — 
t'ree  —  four  wolf.  I  deedn't  care  dam 
for  wolf.  All  Sioux,  all  Assiniboine,  all 
wolf  een  de  worl' — she  go  to  hell  now ; 
I  no  care.  I  was  want  geet  to  Gros 
Ventre  camp  'fore  I  die.  I  was  walk 
'long  slow  —  was  feed  my  pony;  my 
feet,  my  han's  was  get  cold,  hard  lak 
42 


WENT   THROUGH 

knife-blade.  I  was  haf  go  to  cut  bank 
for  fall  on  my  pony's  back — no  crawl 
up  no  more.  I  was  ride  all  night,  slow, 
slow.  Was  sit  down  ;  wolf  was  come  up 
look  at  me.  I  was  tell  wolf  to  go  to 
hell. 

"  Nex'  day  same  ting — go  'long  slow. 
Pony  he  was  dead ;  he  no  care  for  me. 
I  can  no  more  keek  heem  ;  I  cannot  use 
whip  ;  I  was  dead. 

"  You  ask  me  eef  I  was  ever  froze — 
hey,  what  you  tink?  Dat  mule-skinner, 
Silver -Tip,  he  been  dar — by  gar,  he 
nevair  melt  all  nex'  summer. 

"  Jus'  dark  I  was  come  een  big  tim 
ber  by  creek.  I  was  tink  I  die  dar,  for 
I  could  not  mak  de  fire.  I  was  stan' 
steel  lak  de  steer  een  de  coulee  when 
de  blizzair  she  blow.  Den  what  you 
tink?  I  was  hear  Gros  Ventre  woman 
talk  'cross  de  riviere.  She  was  come 
geet  de  wattair.  I  was  lead  de  pony 
43 


HOW   ORDER   NO.  6 

on  de  hice.  I  was  not  know  much,  but 
I  was  wake  up  by  fall  een  wattair  troo 
crack  een  hice.  My  rein  was  'roun'  my 
shoulder ;  my  gun  she  cross  my  two 
arm.  I  could  not  use  my  han'.  When 
I  was  fall,  gun  she  catch  'cross  hice— 
pony  was  pull  lak  hell  —  was  pull  me 
out.  I  was  wet,  but  I  was  wake  up. 
Eef  dat  bridle  she  break,  een  de  spring 
time  dey  fine  Leflare  een  wheat  -  fiel' 
down  Dakotah. 

"  De  woman  was  say,  '  Go  below — 
you  find  de  ford.'  Den  he  was  run. 
After  while  I  get  'cross  ford  —  all  hice. 
Was  come  dam  near  die  standin'  up. 
I  was  see  leetle  log  house,  un  was  go  to 
door  un  pound  wid  my  elbow.  '  Let 
me  een — let  me  een — I  froze,'  sais  I,  een 
Gros  Ventre. 

"  Dey  say,  4  Who  you  are  ?' 

"I   sais,  'I    am    Leflare — I    die  een 
'bout  one  minute — let  me  een.' 
44 


WENT   THROUGH 

"  *  You  talk  Gros  Ventre  ;  maybeso 
you  bad  Engun.  How  we  know  you 
Leflare?'  sais  de  woman. 

" '  Eef  I  not  Leflare,  shoot  when 
you  open  de  door,'  un  dey  open  de 
door.  I  tink  dey  was  come  near  shoot 
me — I  was  look  terrible  —  dey  was 
'fraid.  I  grab  de  fire,  but  dey  was 
pull  me  'way.  Dey  was  sit  on  me  un 
tak  off  my  clothes  un  rub  me  wid  de 
snow.  Well,  dey  was  good  ;  I  dun'no' 
what  dey  do,  but  I  was  eat,  eat,  leetle 
at  a  time,  till  I  was  fall  'sleep.  When 
I  was  wake  up  I  was  say,  '  Tak  dam  ole 
order  to  Buford,'  un  I  was  tole  de  man 
what  was  tak  eet  I  was  keel  heem  eef 
he  not  tak  eet. 

"  I  lay  een  dat  log  house  t'ree  day 
'fore  I  geet  out,  un  den  I  go  Buford. 
Dey  sais  de  order  she  was  all  right. 
Den  dey  want  me  go  back  Keough  wid 
order.  I  sais,  '  Dam  glad  go  back,'  for 
45 


HOW  ORDER  NO.  6  WENT  THROUGH 

de  weddar  she  was  fine  den.  '  You 
geeve  me  pony/ 

" '  Why  geeve  you  pony  ?*  sais  de 
officier. 

"'  By  £ar>  de  las'  order  she  keel  my 
pony,'  I  sais." 


SUNDOWN   LEFLARE'S 
WARM  SPOT 


SUNDOWN   LEFLARE'S 
WARM   SPOT 


TOWARDS  mid  -  day  the  steady  brill 
iancy  of  the  sun  had  satiated  my  color 
sense,  and  the  dust  kicked  up  in  an  irri 
tating  way,  while  the  chug-a-chug,  chug- 
a-chug  of  the  ponies  began  to  bore  me. 
I  wished  for  something  to  happen. 

We  had  picked  wild  plums,  which 
had  subdued  my  six-hour  appetite,  but 
the  unremitting  walk-along  of  our  march 
had  gotten  on  my  nerves.  A  proper  man 
should  not  have  such  fussy  things — but 
I  have  them,  more  is  the  pity.  The 
pony  was  going  beautifully :  I  could  not 
D  49 


SUNDOWN  LEFLARE'S  WARM  SPOT 

quarrel  with  him.  The  high  plains  do 
things  in  such  a  set  way,  so  far  as  weath 
er  is  concerned,  and  it  is  a  day's  march 
before  you  change  views.  I  began  to 
long  for  a  few  rocks  —  a  few  rails  and 
some  ragged  trees  — a  pool  of  water 
with  some  reflections  —  in  short,  any 
thing  but  the  horizontal  monotony  of 
our  surroundings. 

To  add  to  this  complaining,  it  could 
not  be  expected  that  these  wild  men 
would  ever  stop  until  they  got  there, 
wherever  "there  "  might  happen  to  be 
this  day.  I  evidently  do  not  have  their 
purpose,  which  is  "  big  game,"  close  to 
my  heart.  The  chickens  in  this  creek- 
bottom  which  we  are  following  up 
would  suit  me  as  well. 

These  people  will   not   be   diverted, 
though  I  must,  so  I  set  my  self -con 
sidering  eye  on  Sundown  Leflare.     He 
will  answer,   for  he  is  a  strange  man, 
50 


SUNDOWN  LEFLARE'S  WARM  SPOT 

with  his  curious  English  and  his  weird 
past.  He  is  a  tall  person  of  great  phys 
ical  power,  and  must  in  his  youth  have 
been  a  handsome  vagabond.  Born  and 
raised  with  the  buffalo  Indians,  still 
there  was  white  man  enough  about  him 
for  a  point  of  view  which  I  could  under 
stand.  His  great  head,  almost  Roman, 
was  not  Indian,  for  it  was  too  fine;  nor 
was  it  French ;  it  answered  to  none  of 
those  requirements.  His  character  was 
so  fine  a  balance  between  the  two,  when 
one  considered  his  environment,  that  I 
never  was  at  a  loss  to  place  the  inflec 
tions.  And  yet  he  was  an  exotic,  and 
could  never  bore  a  man  who  had  read 
a  little  history. 

Sombreroed  and  moccasined,  Sun 
down  pattered  along  on  his  roan  pinto, 
talking  seven  languages  at  the  pack- 
ponies,  and  I  drew  alongside.  I  knew  he 
never  contributed  to  the  sum  of  human 


SUNDOWN  LEFLARE'S  WARM  SPOT 

knowledge  gratuitously  ;  it  had  to  be  ir 
ritated  out  of  him  with  delicacy.  I  won 
dered  if  he  ever  had  a  romance.  I  knew 
if  he  ever  had,  it  would  be  curious.  We 
bumped  along  for  a  time  doggedly,  and 
I  said, 

"  Where  you  living  now,  Sundown?" 

Instantly  came  the  reply,  "  Leevin' 
here."  He  yelled  at  a  pack-horse  ;  but 
turning  with  a  benignant  smile,  added, 
"  Well,  I  weare  leeve  on  dees  pony,  er 
een  de  blanket  on  de  white  pack-horse." 

"  No  tepee?"  I  asked. 

"No — no  tepee,"  came  rather  sol 
emnly  for  Sundown,  who  was  not  sol 
emn  by  nature,  having  rather  too  much 
variety  for  that. 

"  I  suppose  you  are  a  married  man  ?" 

4<  No — no — me  not  marry,"  came  the 
heavy  response. 

"  Had  no  woman,  hey?"  I  said,  as  I 
gave  up  the  subject. 
52 


SUNDOWN  LEFLARE'S  WARM  SPOT 

"  Oh,  yees  !  woman — had  seex  wom 
an,"  came  the  rather  overwhelming  in 
formation. 

"  Children  too,  I  suppose?" 

"  Oh,  dam,  yes  !  whole  tribe.  Why, 
I  was  have  boy  old  as  you  aire.  He  up 
Canada  way  ;  hees  mudder  he  Black- 
foot  woman.  Dat  was  'way,  'way  back 
yondair,  when  I  was  firs'  come  Rocky 
Mountain.  I  weare  a  boy." 

I  asked  where  the  woman  was  now. 

"Dead  —  long,  long  time.  She  got 
keel  by  buffalo.  She  was  try  for  skin 
buffalo  what  was  not  dead  'nough  for 
skin.  Buffalo  was  skin  her,"  and  Sun 
down  grinned  quickly  at  his  pleasantry  ; 
but  it  somehow  did  not  appeal  to  my 
humor  so  much  as  to  my  imagination, 
and  it  revealed  an  undomesticated  mind. 

"  Did  you  never  have  one  woman 
whom  you  loved  more  than  all  the  oth 
ers?"  I  went  on. 

53 


SUNDOWN  LEFLARE'S  WARM  SPOT 

"  Yees  ;  twenty  year  'go  I  had  Gros 
Ventre  woman.  She  was  fine  woman — 
bes'  woman  I  evair  have.  I  pay  twen 
ty-five  pony  for  her.  She  was  dress  de 
robe  un  paint  eet  bettair,  un  I  was  mak 
heap  of  money  on  her.  But  she  was 
keel  by  de  Sioux  while  she  was  one  day 
pick  de  wil'  plum,  un  I  lose  de  twenty- 
five  pony  een  leetle  ovair  a  year  I  have 
her.  Sacre"  ! 

"  Eef  man  was  hab  seex  woman  lak 
dat  een  dose  day,  he  was  not  ask  de 
odds  of  any  reech  man.  He  could  sell 
de  robe  plenty ;"  and  Sundown  heaved 
a  downright  sigh. 

I  charged  him  with  being  an  old  trad 
er,  who  always  bought  his  women  and 
his  horses ;  and  Sundown  turned  his 
head  to  me  with  the  chin  raised,  while 
there  was  the  wild  animal  in  his  eye. 

"  Buy  my  woman  !    What  de  'ell  you 
know  I  buy  my  woman  ?" 
54 


SUNDOWN  LEFLARE'S  WARM  SPOT 

And  then  I  could  see  my  fine  work. 
I  gave  him  a  contemptuous  laugh. 

Then  his  voice  came  high-pitched: 
"  You  ask  me  de  oddar  night  eef  I  weare 
evair  cole.  Do  you  tink  I  was  evair  cole 
now?  You  say  I  buy  my  woman.  Now 
I  weel  tell  you  I  deed  not  alway  buy 
my  woman." 

And  I  knew  that  he  would  soon  vin 
dicate  his  gallantry,  so  I  said,  softly, 
"  I  will  have  to  believe  what  you  tell 
me  about  it." 

"  I  don'  wan'  for  dat  agent  to  know 
'bout  all  dees  woman  beesness.  He 
was  good  frien'  of  mine,  but  he  pretty 
good  man  back  Eas'  —  maybeso  he 
not  lak  me  eef  he  know  more  'bout 
me ;"  and  Sundown  regained  his  com 
posure. 

"  Oh,  don't  you  fret  —  I  won't  say  a 
word,"  I  assured  him.  And  here  I  find 
myself  violating  his  confidence  in  print ; 
55 


SUNDOWN  LEFLARE'S  WARM  SPOT 

but  it  won't  matter.     Neither  Sundown 
nor  the  agent  will  ever  read  it. 

"  'Way  back  yondair,  maybeso  you 
'bout  dees  high  " — and  he  leaned  down 
from  his  pony,  spreading  his  palm  about 
two  feet  and  a  half  above  the  buffalo- 
grass —  "  I  was  work  for  Meestar  Mac- 
Donnail,  what  hab  trade -pos'  on  Mis 
souri  Reever.  I  was  go  out  to  de  En- 
jun  camp,  un  was  try  for  mak  'em  come 
to  Meestar  MacDonnail  for  trade  skin. 
Well,  all  right.  I  was  play  de  card  for 
dose  Enjun,  un  was  manage  for  geet 
some  skin  myself  for  trade  Meestar 
MacDonnail.  I  was  know  dose  Enjun 
varrie  well.  I  was  play  de  card,  was 
run  de  buffalo,  un  was  trap  de  skin. 

"  I  was  all  same  Enjun — fringe,  bead, 
long  hair — but  I  was  wear  de  hat.  I 
was  hab  de  bes'  pony  een  de  country, 
un  I  was  hab  de  firs'  breech-loadair  een 
de  country.  Ah,  I  was  reech !  Well,  I 
56 


SUNDOWN  LEFLARE'S  WARM  SPOT 

young  man,  un  de  squaw  she  was  good 
frien'  for  me,  but  Snow-Owl  hab  young 
woman,  un  he  tink  terrible  lot  'bout  her 
— was  watch  her  all  time.  Out  of  de 
side  of  her  eye  she  was  watch  me,  un  I 
was  watch  her  out  of  de  side  of  my  eye 
— we  was  both  watch  each  oddar,  but 
we  deed  not  speak.  She  was  look  fine, 
by  gar  !  You  see  no  woman  at  Billings 
Fair  what  would  speet  even  wid  her.  I 
tink  she  not  straight-bred  Enjun  wom 
an — I  tink  she  'bout  much  Enjun  as  I 
be.  All  time  we  watch  each  oddar.  I 
know  eet  no  use  for  try  trade  Snow- 
Owl  out  of  her,  so  I  tink  I  win  her  wid 
de  cards.  Den  I  was  deal  de  skin  game 
for  Snow-Owl,  un  was  hab  heem  broke 
—was  geet  all  hees  pony,  all  hees  robe, 
was  geet  hees  gun ;  but  eet  no  use. 
Snow-Owl  she  not  put  de  woman  on  de 
blanket.  I  tell  heem,  'You  put  de 
woman  on  de  blanket,  by  gar  I  put 
57 


SUNDOWN  LEFLARE'S  WARM  SPOT 

twenty  pony  un  forty  robe  on  de 
blanket.' 

"  No,  he  sais  he  weel  not  put  de  wom 
an  on  de  blanket.  He  nevair  mind  de 
robe  un  de  pony.  He  go  to  de  Absaroke 
un  steal  more  pony,  un  he  have  de  robe 
plenty  by  come  snow. 

"  Well,  he  tak  some  young  man  un 
he  go  off  to  Absaroke  to  steal  horse,  un 
I  sect  roun'  un  watch  dat  woman.  She 
watch  me.  Pretty  soon  camp  was  hunt 
de  buffalo,  un  I  was  hunt  Snow -Owl's 
woman.  Every  one  was  excite,  un  dey 
don'  tak  no  'count  of  me.  I  see  de 
woman  go  up  leetle  coulie  for  stray 
horse,  un  I  foliar  her.  I  sais :  '  How 
do?  You  come  be  my  woman.  We 
run  off  to  Meestar  MacDonnail's  trade- 
house.' 

"  She  sais  she  afraid.  I  tole  her : 
'  Your  buck  no  good ;  he  got  no  robe, 
no  pony ;  he  go  leave  you  to  live  on  de 
53 


SUNDOWN  LEFLARE'S  WARM  SPOT 

camp.  I  am  reech.  Come  wid  me.' 
And  den  I  walk  up  un  steek  my  knife 
eento  de  ribs  of  de  old  camp  pony 
what  she  was  ride.  He  was  go  hough  ! 
hough !  un  was  drop  down.  She  was 
say  she  weel  go  wid  me,  un  I  was  tie 
her  hand  un  feet,  all  same  cowboy  she 
rope  de  steer  down,  un  I  was  leave  her 
dair  on  de  grass.  I  was  ride  out  een  de 
plain  for  geet  my  horse  ban',  un  was 
tell  my  moccasin-boy  I  was  wan'  heem 
go  do  dees  ting,  go  do  dat  ting — I  was 
forget  now. 

"  Well,  den  back  I  go  wid  de  horse- 
ban'  to  de  woman,  un  was  put  her  on 
good  strong  pony,  but  I  was  tak  off 
hees  lariat  and  was  tie  her  feet  undar 
hees  belly.  I  tink  maybeso  she  skin 
out.  Den  we  mak  trail  for  Meestar 
MacDonnail,  un  eet  was  geet  night.  I 
was  ask  her  eef  she  be  my  squaw.  She 
sais  she  will  be  my  squaw ;  but  by  gar 
59 


SUNDOWN  LEFLARE'S  WARM  SPOT 

she  was  my  squaw,  anyhow,  eef  I  not 
tak  off  de  rawhide."  Sundown  here 
gave  himself  up  to  a  little  merriment, 
which  called  crocodiles  and  hyenas  to 
my  mind. 

"  I  was  tell  you  not  for  doubt  I  mak 
dat  horse-ban'  burn  de  air  dat  night.  I 
knew  eef  dose  Enjun  peek  up  dat  trail, 
dey  run  me  to  a  stan'-steel.  Eet  was 
two  day  to  Meestar  MacDonnail,  un  I 
got  dair  'bout  dark,  un  Meestar  Mac 
Donnail  she  sais,  *  When  dose  Enjun 
was  come  een  ?'  I  sais,  '  Dey  come 
pretty  queek,  I  guess.' 

"  I  was  glad  for  geet  een  dat  log 
fence.  My  pony  she  could  go  no  more. 
Well,  I  was  res'  up,  un  maybeso  eet 
four  day  when  up  come  de  Vance-guard 
of  dose  Enjun,  un  dey  was  mad  as  wolf. 
Deedn't  have  nothin'  on  but  de  mocca 
sin  un  de  red  paint.  Dey  was  crazy. 
Meestar  MacDonnail  he  not  let  'em  een 
60 


SUNDOWN  LEFLARE'S  WARM  SPOT 

de  log  fence.  Den  he  was  say,  *  What 
een  hell  de  matter,  Leflare?'  I  sais, 
'  Guess  dey  los'  someting.' 

"  Meestar  MacDonnail  was  geet  up 
on  de  beeg  gate,  un  was  say,  *  What  you 
Enjun  want?'  Dey  was  say,  'Leflare; 
he  stole  chief's  wife.'  Dey  was  want 
heem  for  geeve  me  up.  Den  Meestar 
MacDonnail  he  got  crazy,  un  he  dam 
me  terreble.  He  sais  I  was  no  bees- 
ness  steal  woman  un  come  to  hees 
house ;  but  I  was  tol'  heem  I  have  no 
oddar  plass  for  go  but  hees  house.  He 
sais,  'Why  you  tak  woman,  anyhow?' 
I  was  shrug  my  shouldair. 

"Dose  Enjun  dey  was  set  roun'  on 
dair  ham -bone  un  watch  dat  plass,  un 
den  pretty  soon  was  come  de  village — 
dog,  baby,  dry  meat  —  whole  outfeet. 
Well,  Leflare  he  was  up  in  a  tree,  for 
dey  was  mak  camp  all  roun'  dat  log 
fence.  Meestar  MacDonnail  he  was 
61 


SUNDOWN  LEFLARE'S  WARM  SPOT 

geet  on  de  gate,  de  Enjun  dey  was  set 
on  de  grass,  un  dey  was  talk  a  heap — 
dey  was  talk  steady  for  two  day.  De 
Enjun  was  have  me  or  dey  was  burn  de 
pos'.  Meestar  MacDonnail  sais  he  was 
geeve  up  de  woman.  De  Enjun  was 
say,  dam  de  woman — was  want  me.  I 
was  say  I  was  not  geeve  up  de  woman. 
Dat  was  fine  woman,  un  I  was  say  eef 
dey  geet  dat  woman,  dey  mus'  geet  Le- 
flare  firs'. 

"  All  night  dar  was  more  talk,  un  de 
Enjun  dey  was  yell.  Meestar  MacDon 
nail  was  want  me  for  mak  run  een  de 
night-time,  but  I  was  not  tink  I  geet 
troo.  'Well,  den,'  he  sais,  'you  geeve 
yourself  to  dose  Enjun.'  I  was  laugh 
at  heem,  un  cock  my  breech-loadair,  un 
say,  'You  cannot  mak  me.' 

"  De  Enjun  dey  was  shoot  dar  gun  at 
de  log  fence,  un  de  white  man  he  was 
shoot  een  de  air.     Eet  was  war. 
62 


SUNDOWN  LEFLARE'S  WARM  SPOT 

"  All  right.  Pretty  soon  dey  was  mak 
de  peace  sign,  un  was  talk  some  more. 
Snow-Owl  had  come. 

"  Den  I  got  on  de  gate  un  I  yell  at 
dem.  I  was  call  dem  all  de  dog,  all  de 
woman  een  de  worl'.  I  was  say  Snow- 
Owl  he  dam  ole  sage -hen.  He  lose 
hees  robe,  hees  pony,  hees  woman,  un  I 
leek  heem  een  de  bargain  eef  he  not 
run  lak  deer  when  he  hear  my  voice. 
Den  I  was  yell,  bah  !"  which  Sundown 
did,  putting  all  the  prairie-dogs  into 
their  holes  for  our  day's  march. 

"  Den  dey  was  talk. 

"  Well,  I  sais,  eef  Snow -Owl  he  any 
good,  let  us  fight  for  de  woman.  Let 
dose  Enjun  sen'  two  beeg  chief  eento 
de  log  fence,  un  I  weel  go  out  eento  de 
plain  un  fight  Snow-Owl  for  de  woman. 
Eef  I  leek,  dose  Enjun  was  have  go 
'way ;  un  eef  dar  was  any  one  strike  me 
but  Snow-Owl,  de  two  chief  mus'  die. 
63 


SUNDOWN  LEFLARE'S  WARM  SPOT 

Meestar  MacDonnail  he  say  de  two 
chief  mus'  die.  De  Enjun  was  talk 
heap.  Was  say  'fraid  of  my  gun.  I 
was  say  eef  I  not  tak  my  gun,  den 
Snow-Owl  mus'  not  tak  hees  bow-arrow. 
Den  dey  send  de  two  chief  eento  de  log 
house.  We  was  fight  wid  de  lance  un 
de  skin-knife. 

"  Eet  was  noon,  un  was  hot.  I  was 
sharp  my  knife,  was  tie  up  my  bes' 
pony  tail,  un  was  tak  off  my  clothes, 
but  was  wear  my  hat  for  keep  de  sun 
out  of  my  eye.  Den  I  was  geet  on  my 
pony  un  go  out  troo  de  gate.  I  was  yell, 
4  Come  on,  Snow-Owl ;  I  teach  you  new 
game  ;'  un  I  was  laugh  at  dem. 

"  Dose  Enjun  weare  not  to  come 
within  rifle-shot  of  de  pos',  or  de  chief 
mus'  die. 

"All  right.  Out  come  Snow -Owl. 
He  was  pretty  man — pretty  good  man, 
I  guess.  Oh,  eet  was  long  time  'go.  I 
64 


SUNDOWN  LEFLARE'S  WARM  SPOT 

tink  he  was  brav'  man,  but  he  was  tink 
too  much  of  dat  woman.  He  was  on 
pinto  pony,  un  was  have  not  a  ting  on 
heem  but  de  breech -clout  un  de  bull- 
hide  shiel'.  Den  we  leek  our  pony,  un 
we  went  for  fight.  I  dun'no'  jes  what 
eet  all  weare ;"  and  Sundown  began  to 
undo  his  shirt,  hauling  it  back  to  show 
me  a  big  livid  scar  through  the  right 
breast,  high  up  by  the  shoulder. 

"  De  pony  go  pat,  pat,  pat,  un  lak  de 
light  in  de  mornin'  she  trabel  'cross  de 
plain  we  come  togaddar.  Hees  beeg 
buffalo  lance  she  go  clean  troo  my 
shouldar,  un  br'ak  off  de  blade,  un  trow 
me  off  my  pony.  Snow -Owl  she  stop 
hees  pony  chuck,  chunck,  chinck,  un  was 
come  roun'  for  run  me  down.  I  peeked 
up  a  stone  un  trow  eet  at  heem.  You 
bet  my  medicine  she  good ;  eet  heet 
heem  een  de  back  of  de  head. 

"Snow -Owl  she  go  wobble,  wobble, 
E  65 


SUNDOWN  LEFLARE'S  WARM  SPOT 

un  she  slide  off  de  pony  slow  lak,  un  I 
was  run  up  for  heem.  When  I  was  geet 
dair  he  was  geet  on  hees  feet,  un  we 
was  go  at  eet  wid  de  knife.  Snow-Owl 
was  bes'  man  wid  de  lance,  but  I  was 
bes'  man  wid  de  knife,  un  hees  head  was 
not  come  back  to  heem  from  de  stone, 
for  I  keel  him,  un  I  took  hees  hair ;  all 
de  time  de  lance  she  steek  out  of  my 
shouldar.  I  was  go  to  de  trade-pos', 
un  dose  Enjun  was  yell  terreble ;  but 
Meestar  MacDonnail  she  was  geet  on 
de  gate  un  say  dey  mus'  go  'way  or  de 
chief  mus'  die. 

"  Nex'  morning  dey  was  all  go  'way ; 
un  Leflare  he  go  'way  too.  Meestar 
MacDonnail  he  did  not  tink  I  was  buy 
all  my  squaw.  Sacre ! 

"  Oh,  de  squaw  —  well,  I  sol  her  for 

one  hundred  dollar  to  white  man  on  de 

Yellowstone.      'Twas  t'ree  year  aftair 

dat  fight ;"   and  Sundown  made  a  de- 

66 


SUNDOWN  LEFLARE'S  WARM  SPOT 

tour  into  the  brushy  bottom  to  head 
back  the  kitchen  -  mare,  while  I  rode 
along,  musing. 

This  rough  plains  wanderer  is  an  old 
man  now,  and  he  may  have  forgotten 
his  tender  feelings  of  long  ago.  He 
had  never  examined  himself  for  any 
thing  but  wounds  of  the  flesh,  and  nat 
ure  had  laid  rough  roads  in  his  path, 
but  still  he  sold  the  squaw  for  whom  he 
had  been  willing  to  give  his  life.  How 
can  I  reconcile  this  romance  to  its  posi 
tively  fatal  termination? 

Back  came  Sundown  presently,  and 
spurring  up  the  cut-bank,  he  sang  out, 
"  You  tink  I  always  buy  my  squaw, 
hey?— what  you  tink  'bout  eet  now?" 

Oh,  you  old  land-loper,  I  do  not  know 
what  to  think  about  you,  was  what 
came  into  my  head ;  but  I  said,  "  Sun 
down,  you  are  a  raw  dog,"  and  we  both 
laughed. 

67 


SUNDOWN  LEFLARE'S  WARM  SPOT 

So  over  the  long  day's  ride  we  bobbed 
along  together,  with  no  more  romance 
than  hungry  men  are  apt  to  feel  before 
the  evening  meal.  We  toiled  up  the 
hills,  driving  the  pack-horses,  while  the 
disappearingsun  made  the  red  sand-rocks 
glitter  with  light  on  our  left,  and  about 
us  the  air  and  the  grass  were  cold.  Pres 
ently  we  made  camp  in  the  canyon,  and 
what  with  laying  our  bedding,  cooking 
our  supper,  and  smoking,  the  darkness 
had  come.  Our  companions  had  turned 
into  their  blankets,  leaving  Sundown 
and  me  gazing  into  the  fire.  The  dance 
of  the  flames  was  all  that  occupied  my 
mind  until  Sundown  said,  "  I  want  for 
go  Buford  dees  wintair." 

"  Why  don't  you  go  ?"  I  chipped  in. 

«  Oh— leetle  baby— so  long,"  and  he 
showed  me  by  spreading  his  hands 
about  eighteen  inches. 

"Your  baby,  Sundown?" 
68 


SUNDOWN  LEFLARE'S  WARM  SPOT 

"  Yees  —  my  little  baby,"  he  replied, 
meditatively. 

"Why  can't  you  go  to  Buford?"  I 
hazarded. 

"  Leetle  baby  she  no  stan'  de  trip. 
Eet  varrie  late  een  de  fall — maybeso 
snow — leetle  baby  she  no  stan'  dat." 

"Why  don't  you  go  by  railroad?"  I 
pressed  ;  but,  bless  me,  I  knew  that 
was  a  foolish  question,  since  Sundown 
Leflare  did  not  belong  to  the  railroad 
period,  and  could  not  even  contemplate 
going  anywhere  that  way. 

"  I  got  de  wagon  un  de  pony,  but  de 
baby  she  too  leetle.  Maybeso  I  go  nex' 
year  eef  baby  she  all  right.  I  got  white 
woman  up  at  agency  for  tak  care  of  de 
baby,  un  eet  cos'  me  t'ree  dollar  a  week. 
You  s'pose  I  put  dat  baby  een  a  dam 
Enjun  tepee?"  And  his  voice  rose 
truculently. 

As  I  had  not  supposed  anything  con- 


SUNDOWN  LEFLARE'S  WARM  SPOT 

earning  it,  I  was  embarrassed  somewhat, 
and  said,  "  Of  course  not  —  but  where 
was  the  mother  of  the  child  ?" 

"  Oh,  her  mudder — well,  she  was  no 
Enjun.  Don'  know  where  she  ees 
now.  When  de  leetle  baby  was  born, 
her  mudder  was  run  off  on  de  dam  rail 
road  ;"  and  we  turned  in  for  the  night. 

My  romance  had  arrived. 


SUNDOWN  LEFLARE'S  MONEY 


SUNDOWN  LEFLARE'S  MONEY 


SITTING  together  comfortably  on  the 
front  porch  of  the  house  of  the  man 
who  ran  the  flouring-mill  at  the  agency, 
Sundown  and  I  felt  clean,  and  we  both 
had  on  fresh  clothes.  He  had  purchased 
at  the  trader's  a  cotton  shirt  with  green 
stripes,  which  would  hold  the  entire  at 
tention  of  any  onlooker.  We  were  in 
clined  to  more  gayety  than  the  smoke 
of  the  mountain  camp-fire  superinduced, 
and  became  more  important  and  mate 
rial  when  the  repression  of  the  great 
mountains  was  removed. 

"Well,  Sundown,  how  are  you  feel 
ing?"  I  opened. 

73 


SUNDOWN    LEFLARE'S    MONEY 

"  Feelin'  pretty  reech  dese  day,"  he 
observed,  with  a  smile. 

"  Have  you  paid  the  kid's  board  yet?" 

"  Ah,  by  gar,  I  was  pay  dose  board- 
money  'fore  I  was  geet  off  dat  pony. 
How  you  s'pose  I  know  what  weel  come 
when  I  was  heet  de  agency?  Firs'  fel- 
lar  she  wiggle  de  pas'eboard  maybeso 
Sundown  go  broke.  Well,  I  was  buy 
de  shirt  un  de  tobac.  Good  shirt,  deese, 
hey  ?  Well,  den,  I  don'  care." 

"  Of  course  you  don't,  my  dear  Mr. 
Leflare.  Having  money  is  a  great  dam 
age  to  you,"  I  continued. 

"  Yes,  dat  ees  right.  Money  she  no 
gran'  good  ting  for  Enjun  man  lak  for 
white  folk.  Enjun  she  keep  de  money 
een  hees  han'  'bout  long  she  keep  de 
snow  een  hees  han',  but  I  was  tell  you 
eet  was  all  he  was  geet  dese  day.  Pony 
she  not  bring  much.  Enjun  he  can't 
mak  de  wagon  'less  he  'ave  de  price. 
74 


SUNDOWN    LEFLARE'S    MONEY 

De  dry  meat,  de  skin,  un  de  pony,  she 
was  what  Enjun  want ;  but  he  was  geet 
leetle  now.  Use  for  'ave  eet  long  time 
'go  ;  now  not'ing  but  money  !  Dam  ! 

"Back  yondair,  een  what  year  you 
call  '80 — all  same  time  de  white  man 
was  hang  de  oddar  white  man  so  fas' — 
she  geet  be  bad.  De  buffalo  man  she 
was  come  plenty  wid  de  beeg  wagon, 
was  all  shoot  up  de  buffalo,  was  tak  all 
de  robe.  Den  de  man  come  up  wid  de 
cow,  un  de  soldier  he  was  stop  chasse 
de  Enjun.  De  Enjun  she  was  set  roun' 
de  log  pos',  un  was  not  wan'  be  chasse 
some  more — eet  was  do  no  good.  Den 
come  de  railroad ;  aftar  dat  bad,  all 
bad.  Was  see  peop'  lak  you.  Dey  was 
'ave  de  money,  un  was  all  time  scout 
roun'  un  buy  de  cow.  De  man  what 
was  sell  de  cow  she  buy  de  cow  some 
more ;  dey  all  done  do  not'ing  but  set 
roun'  un  buy  de  cow.  I  could  not  geet 
75 


SUNDOWN    LEFLARE'S    MONEY 

de  buffalo,  un  could  no  more  geet  de 
money  for  be  soldier  scout.  Well,  I 
was  not  understan'  —  I  was  not  know 
what  do.  We  was  keel  de  cow  once — 
maybeso  I  tell  you  'bout  dat  some  time. 
De  cowboy  she  say  we  mus'  not  keel 
de  cow.  We  say,  '  You  keel  our  buffa 
lo,  now  we  mus'  keel  your  cow.'  He 
sais  soldiers  dey  geet  aftar  us,  un  we 
don'  know  what  do. 

"  I  was  say  to  Dakase  un  Hoopshuis: 
'You  mak  de  horse -ban'  wid  me.  We 
go  on  de  Yellowstone  un  sell  de  cow 
boy  de  pony — mak  great  deal  of  mon 
ey,'  "  continued  Sundown. 

In  hopes  of  development,  I  asked 
where  he  got  all  the  ponies. 

"Ah,  nevar  you  min'  dat.  We  was 
geet  dem  pony  where  dey  was  cheap." 
And  I  knew,  from  his  cynicism,  that  it 
was  an  ancient  form  of  his  misbehavior. 
"  So  Dakase  un  me  un  Hoopshuis  was 
76 


SUNDOWN   LEFLARE'S    MONEY 

tak  de  horse-ban'  to  Yellowstone  Reev- 
er,  un  was  hole  eet  by  Meestar  John 
Smeeth  log  house  back  een  de  foot- 
heel.  Meestar  John  Smeeth  he  was 
sell  de  rum  un  deal  de  card  in  de  log 
house.  De  cowboy  she  stop  roun' 
Meestar  John  Smeeth  log  house,  un  de 
cowboy  was  raise  hell.  Dees  rum  she 
varrie  bad  medicin'  for  Enjun,  all  right ; 
un  she  varrie  bad  for  cowboy,  all  same. 
Cowboy  he  geet  drunk,  wan'  all  time 
for  burn  hees  seex-shootair.  Bad  plass 
for  Enjun  when  de  cowboy  she  hise  een 
de  rum. 

"Well,  'long  come  de  cow  outfeet, 
un  Dakase  un  de  oddar  Enjun  she  was 
pull  out  een  de  foot-heel,  but  I  was  stop 
roun'  for  notice  Meestar  John  Smeeth 
sell  de  horse-ban'  to  de  cowboy.  Mees 
tar  John  Smeeth  she  not  be  varrie  bes' 
man  I  evair  was  see.  We  all  time  look 
at  Meestar  John  Smeeth  varrie  sharp. 
77 


SUNDOWN   LEFLARE'S   MONEY 

I  was  say  to  Meestar  Smeeth, '  You  sell 
de  pony  to  de  cowboy,  un  eef  you  geet 
'nough  money,  you  'ave  one  horse  when 
you  was  sell  ten  horse ';  un  I  sais  to 
heem  :  '  I  tink  you  not  ride  varrie  far 
on  de  beeg  road  eef  you  beat  roun' 
much  when  you  do  beesness  with  us 
Enjun.  I  weel  talk  de  Anglais  to  dose 
cowboy,  un  I  weel  find  you  out,  Mees 
tar  John  Smeeth.' 

"  'Long  come  de  cowboy,  un  Meestar 
Smeeth  she  was  try  sell  de  pony  ;  but 
de  cowboy  she  weel  not  buy  de  pony, 
'cause  she  say  de  bran'  -  iron  not  b'long 
Meestar  John  Smeeth.  He  sais,  no, 
not  b'long  heem,  b'long  friend  of  hees. 

"  Dose  cowboy  dey  laugh  varrie  loud, 
un  dey  sais,  '  Guess,  Meestar  Smeeth, 
you  see  your  frien'  troo  de  smoke.' 

"  Cowboys  dey  go  'way.  Meestar 
Smeeth  he  sais, '  I  mak  dat  bran'  b'long 
me,'  so  Dakase  un  Hoopshuis  un  me, 
73 


SUNDOWN   LEFLARE'S    MONEY 

un  Meestar  John  Smeeth,  we  was  work 
t'ree  day  een  de  corral,  un  we  was  mak 
dat  bran'  b'long  Meestar  John  Smeeth. 
All  time  dar  weare  a  leetle  white  man 
what  was  hang  roun'  de  log  house  un 
shuffle  de  card.  He  know  how  shuffle 
dose  card,  I  tell  you.  He  was  all  time 
fool  wid  de  card.  He  wear  de  store 
clothes,  un  he  was  not  help  us  bran'  de 
horse  -  ban',  'cause  he  sais,  *  Dam  de 
pony !' 

"  We  wait  roun',  wait  roun'.  Oh,  we 
was  eat  Meestar  Smeeth  bacon,  un  we 
was  not  strain  ourself  for  de  time.  Mees 
tar  Smeeth  he  was  fry  de  bacon  un  mak 
de  bread,  un  he  geet  varrie  much  hope 
for  noddar  cow  outfeet. 

"  T'ree  men  weare  come  'long  de 
beeg  stage-road.  Dey  sais  dar  name  ees 
Long-Horn.  Well,  I  know  what  white 
man  she  call  de  Long-Horn  now,  un  I 
'ave  know  since  what  he  call  de  Short- 
79 


SUNDOWN    LEFLARE'S    MONEY 

Horn.  I  tink  eet  good  deal  lak  Enjun 
call  de  Big-Robe ;  I  tink  eet  good  deal 
lak  John  Smeeth.  Dar  ain't  much 
Long -Horn  nowday,  un  dar  ain't  so 
much  John  Smeeth  as  dar  use  be. 

"All  right,  dey  was  buy  de  horse- 
ban',  un  was  pay  de  money  right  dar. 
Dey  was  drive  de  pony  on  de  beeg 
stage-road.  Meestar  John  Smeeth  she 
give  us  de  money,  un  sais  we  weel  play 
de  pokair  a  leetle.  Dat  was  good  bees- 
ness,  so  we  was  all  set  down  een  de 
log  house  un  play  de  pokair.  Maybeso 
we  play  one  whole  day.  All  right,  dey 
was  geet  every  dam  cent  we  got  ;  all  de 
money  what  was  b'long  Dakase  un  me 
un  Hoopshuis,  un  we  was  loss  our  pony 
un  our  money. 

"  Dekase  un  Hoopshuis  dey  geet  on 

dar  pony  un  go  'way,  but  I  was  stay  at 

de  log  house,  for  I  was  see  dat  de  leetle 

man  she  was  deal  us  de  skin  game,  but 

80 


SUNDOWN    LEFLARE'S    MONEY 

I  was  not  see  how  he  was  do  de  ting. 
I  was  varrie  much  wan'  for  know  how 
he  do  eet,  un  was  tell  heem  I  was  not 
care  eef  he  'ave  all  my  money,  jus'  so 
he  show  me  how  he  deal  dat  skin  game. 
I  tell  heem  dat  maybeso  I  keel  heem 
eef  he  not  show  me.  Well,  den  he  was 
show  me.  He  was  rub  my  right  thumb 
wid  de  powder -stone,  un  de  skin  she 
geet  varrie  sof.  Den  he  was  show  me 
how  feel  de  prick  een  de  card,  un  he 
was  show  me  how  feel  de  short  end  of 
de  card  —  dose  cards  was  'ave  de  one 
end  file'  off.  He  was  geeve  me  deck  of 
dose  short  card,  un  I  was  set  een  front 
of  dat  log  house,  un  look  up  at  de  cloud, 
un  feel  dose  prick  un  does  short  card — 
I  was  feel  two  day  steady. 

"  Me  un  de  store-clothes  man  we  was 
set   een    front   of  de    log    house,  may 
beso  eet   t'ree   day,  when   up    de  road 
come  de  t'ree  Long -Horn  white  man 
F  81 


SUNDOWN    LEFLARE'S    MONEY 

what  had  pay  for  de  horse -ban'.     Dey 
was  run  dar  horse  plenty. 

"  I  was  shut  my  eye  pretty  close,  un 
I  was  tink  pretty  queek.  I  was  tink 
great  deal  more  queek  dan  I  was  tole 
you  'bout  dees  ting.  I  was  say,  '  Sun 
down,  what  mak  dem  t'ree  white  man 
run  dem  horse  so  fas'?'  I  was  see  why. 
I  was  say  to  myself,  Dakase  un  Hoop- 
shuis  she  'ave  steal  dem  pony.  I  geet 
up  un  sais,  '  You  store-clothes  man,  you 
run  aftar  me  or  you  be  keel'  'bout  one 
minute';  un  I  was  go  roun'  de  corner  of 
dat  log  house  un  geet  een  de  cotton- 
woods  ;  den  we  was  mak  de  san'  fly 
'bout  one  mile.  Pretty  queek  I  was 
hear  shootin',  den  I  was  hear  not'ing. 
We  was  geet  on  a  point  of  de  rock,  un 
we  was  see  de  white  man :  she  look  at 
our  moccasin  track.  Dey  was  go  back 
to  log  house,  un  go  'way  up  de  stage- 
trail. 

82 


SUNDOWN    LEFLARE'S    MONEY 

"  I  sais  den  :  '  Store-clothes,  Meestar 
John  Smeeth  ees  all  fix  up  for  burn  de 
candle  ovair.  Dem  white  mans  have 
kill  heem.' 

"  Den  we  go  back,  scout  up  de  log 
house,  un  fin'  Meestar  John  Smeeth — 
oh,  all  shoot  up.  He  was  fry  de  bacon 
when  dose  man  weare  pour  de  lead  een 
heem. 

"We  was  bury  dees  Smeeth,  un  I 
sais:  '  Now,  Meestar  Store-clothes,  you 
un  I  got  for  run  lak  hell.  De  cowboy 
he  come  pretty  soon,  un  he  come  smok- 
inY 

"  Store-clothes  she  sais  cannot  run  on 
de  horse. 

"  '  Well/  I  sais,  '  you  cannot  run  on 
de  foot,  by  gar ;  de  cowboy  she  'ave 
your  trail  hot  'fore  you  tink.' 

"  I  was  geet  down  de  pony  from  de 
foot -heel  un  was  put  de  store  -  clothes 
man  on  one  pony,  un  den  I  was  herd 
83 


SUNDOWN    LEFLARE'S    MONEY 

dat  pony  all  day  un  all  night.  He  was 
groan  terrible  —  oh,  my,  'ow  he  was 
squawk,  was  dat  leetle  man  !  but  I  was 
leek  de  pony  wid  my  rope,  un  de  pony 
was  run  long  pretty  good  wid  de  store- 
clothes  man. 

"  He  was  say  tak  heem  to  railroad. 

" '  No,'  I  sais  ;  '  go  tak  you  wid  me. 
We  play  de  skin  game  plass  I  know,  un 
eef  we  win,  den  I  tak  you  to  railroad.' 

" '  How  far  dees  plass  ?'  sais  de  leetle 
man. 

"  '  Ah — we  geet  dar  eef  de  pony  hole 
out.'  Den  we  was  'ave  de  long  talk. 
I  was  say  I  keel  heem  eef  he  lose.  He 
was  say  de  oddar  fellar  keel  heem  eef 
he  win.  '  Well,'  I  sais,  '  I  sure  keel 
you,  maybeso  de  oddar  fellar  dey  won't 
— you  'ave  de  bes'  chance  wid  me.' 

"  He  sais  who  de  oddar  feller  is? 

"  I  tell  heem  dey  part  Enjun,  part 
white  man — dey  was  breeds  lak  me. 


SUNDOWN   LEFLARE'S   MONEY 

"  I  was  know  a  breed  outfeet  on  de 
breaks  of  de  Mountain  -  Sheep  Butte 
what  was  run  de  pony  off  un  was  sell 
heem.  Dey  was  'ave  plenty  money,  un 
I  tink  we  play  de  skin  game  on  dem. 

"  When  we  was  geet  dar  I  was  talk  I 
fin'  de  store-clothes  man  out  een  de  heel, 
un  was  bring  heem  in.  He  was  not  un- 
'erstan'  de  Enjun  talk.  He  was  not 
know  a  ting  'cept  deal  de  card,  but  he 
was  know  dat  all  right. 

"  Dose  breed  weare  set  roun'  de  camp 
un  deal  de  card  un  drink  de  rum  for 
day  or  so.  We  was  not  play  de  card 
much,  un  de  store -clothes  man  he  was 
lose  a  leetle  when  he  was  tak  de  chance 
een.  Pretty  soon  dar  was  'bout  t'ree 
man  she  'ave  de  money  what  b'long 
whole  outfeet,  un  de  store-clothes  man 
he  sais,  'You  geet  pony  all  fix  up  for 
run  off,  un  to-night  we  play  de  game.' 
I  sais :  '  You  geet  all  de  money  by  de 
S5 


SUNDOWN    LEFLARE'S    MONEY 

middle  of  de  night-time,  un  don'  you 
mees  cet  —  I  keel  you.  I  weel  turn 
every  horse  out  de  camp,  un  when  I 
mak  de  sign  you  follair  me — queek.' 
Eet  was  'bout  ten  o'clock  when  we 
was  set  down  on  de  buffalo  -  robe  un 
play  de  pokair  wid  de  t'ree  man  by  de 
fire.  One  man  what  was  not  play  was 
hole  de  spleet  steek  for  give  de  light. 

"  Eet  was  not  long  'fore  I  was  lose  all 
de  money  what  I  was  'ave,  what  was 
what  de  store  -  clothes  man  'ad  geeve 
me.  Den  de  leetle  man  she  look  at  me, 
un  she  varrie  much  scare.  He  weare 
lak  de  snow ;  guess  he  nevair  see  much 
Enjun ;  guess  he  not  lak  what  he  'ave 
see.  I  was  geet  up  un  was  look  at 
de  leetle  man — was  look  varrie  smart  at 
heem"  —  and  here  Sundown  accompa 
nied  with  a  look  which  must  have  chilled 
the  soul  of  the  frontier  gambler. 

"  Den  I  was  slide  'way  een  de  dark. 
86 


SUNDOWN   LEFLARE'S    MONEY 

I  was  scout  up  dat  camp.  Dey  was 
mos'  all  drunk,  'cept  de  t'ree  man  what 
was  play  de  card.  Dey  was  varrie  mad, 
but  de  leetle  man  was  not  know  how 
mad  dose  breeds  was,  'cause  de  Enjun 
when  he  varrie  mad  she  don't  look  deff- 
erent.  Dey  was  lose  dair  money  pretty 
fas'  to  de  leetle  man. 

"  I  was  cut  de  rope  of  de  pony  all 
roun'  de  camp,  un  dey  was  all  go  off 
down  de  creek  for  de  watair.  Dey  was 
tie  up  long  time.  By  gar,  eef  dar  was 
one  man  see  me,  eet  be  bad  for  de 
store  -  clothes  man,  I  tell  you.  Guess 
dey  keel  heem.  No  one  see  me.  I 
was  bring  two  pony  up  close  to  de 
camp,  quiet  lak,  un  tie  dem  een  de 
bush.  Den  I  was  go  to  de  fire.  De 
leetle  man  she  look  at  me  un  she  cache 
all  de  money  on  de  robe  een  hees  pock 
et,  un  he  tole  me,  'You  say  I  wan' 
queet.'  De  breeds  dey  say  he  mus'  not 
87 


SUNDOWN   LEFLARE'S    MONEY 

queet.  All  right,  he  say,  he  play  some 
more.  Den  dey  was  play,  un  he  was 
deal,  un  dey  was  all  'ave  de  big  han'ful, 
un  bet  all  dair  money.  I  was  know  de 
leetle  man  he  sure  win,  un  I  was  tak 
out  my  seex-shootair. 

"  Den  dese  breed  she  got  varrie  much 
excite.  Oh,  dey  weare  wild,  un  dey 
weare  show  down  dair  han'  on  de  robe. 
De  leetle  man  he  was  win  all  right.  He 
sais  he  sorry — he  not  wan'  win  all  dair 
money. 

"  I  sais,  *  You  store-clothes  man,  you 
put  de  money  een  your  pocket ;  you 
'ave  win  all  right.'  One  man  he  sais  he 
'ave  not  win  all  right,  un  he  mus'  geeve 
de  money  back.  I  was  heet  dees  man 
een  de  head  wid  my  gun,  un  he  was 
fall  down.  Den  dey  was  all  jump  up, 
un  de  fellar  what  was  hole  de  spleet 
steek  she  drop  de  spleet  steek.  I  was 
jump  to  de  leetle  man  un  say,  '  Come.' 
88 


SUNDOWN   LEFLARE'S   MONEY 

"  We  run  queek  to  dose  bush,  geet 
on  de  pony,  un  we  geet  out.  Eet  was 
so  leetle  time  dat  dese  breed  dey  not 
sabe,  un  I  don'  know  what  dey  do  den. 
I  herd  dat  store -clothes  man  on  de 
pony,  un  he  sais,  '  Now  you  tak  me  to 
de  railroad.' 

"  I  sais :  '  Yes,  now  I  tak  you  to  de 
railroad.  Guess  you  tink  dat  pretty  hot 
pokair  game  ?' 

"  He  sais,  eef  he  only  geet  to  dat 
railroad  ;"  and  Sundown  laughed  long 
and  heartily. 

"  Guess  dem  breed  fellars  dey  'ave  de 
long  time  for  fin'  dose  pony.  Eet  was 
no  use  for  me  try  herd  dat  leetle  man 
fas'  'nough  eef  dose  Enjun  geet  dose 
pony  queek ;  but  dey  deed  not,  so  I 
was  geet  to  Glendive,  what  was  de  end 
of  de  railroad.  Dat  store-clothes  man 
he  was  great  deal  more  teekle  dan 

Meestar  B when  he  geet  dat  bull 

89 


SUNDOWN   LEFLARE'S    MONEY 

elk  oddar  day.  He  was  jump  up  un 
down ;  he  was  yell ;  he  was  tank  me ; 
he  was  buy  great  deal  of  rum.  We  was 
have  varrie  good  time. 

"  Den  we  was  play  de  pokair  some 
more — was  play  wid  de  white  man.  De 
leetle  man  was  deal  de  card,  un  I  was 
all  time  win.  Was  win  all  de  white 
man  was  'ave,  un  was  geet  a  papier 
from  one  man  what  was  what  you  call 
de  mortgage  for  de  leevery-stable.  '  All 
right,'  sais  de  leetle  man,  *  you  put  up 
your  money — I  put  up  my  money  un 
de  papier — we  tak  de  leevery-stable. 
Sundown,'  he  sais,  '  we*  go  eento  bees- 
ness — hey  ?' 

"  So  we  was  go  eento  beesness — een 
de  beesness  of  de  leevery-stable.  I  was 
varrie  great  man. 

"  Dat  was  Saturday,  un  Sunday  I  was 
go  out  to  see  de  pries',  what  was  tole 
me  to  come.  Aftair.I  was  see  de  pries' 
90 


SUNDOWN   LEFLARE'S    MONEY 

un  was  fix  up,  I  come  back  eento  de 
village,  un  was  go  to  de  leevery-stable. 
Dey  was  say  I  not  own  de  leevery-sta 
ble.  'You  go  see  your  pardner,'  dey 
sais ;  un  I  geet  on  my  pony  for  fin' 
leetle  man  what  was  my  pardner.  I 
look  all  roun'.  De  people  was  say  he 
go  off  on  de  railroad.  I  was  run  dat 
pony  for  de  dam  railroad. 

"  When  I  was  geet  dar  de  train,  what 
was  de  freight,  she  weare  pull  out.  I 
was  see  de  leetle  store-clothes  man — my 
pardner — she  was  stan'  beside  de  train, 
un  he  was  see  me. 

"  I  ride  up,  but  he  was  jump  on  un- 
dair  de  car  —  what  you  call  —  de  car- 
wheel  axe,  un  he  was  laugh  at  me  from 
between  de  wheel.  He  was  yell,  '  Sun 
down,  I  blow  een  de  leevery-stable  las' 
night.' 

" '  I  weel  blow  you  een,'  I  sais,  un  I 
fire  de  seex-shootair  at  heem,  but  I  was 


SUNDOWN   LEFLARE'S    MONEY 

unable  to  heet  heem.  De  train  was  run 
fas' ;  my  pony  was  not  run  so  fas' — I 
could  not  catch  heem.  He  was  ride  on 
de  brake  bettair  dan  on  de  pony  ;"  and 
Sundown  Leflare  looked  sad,  for  had 
not  most  of  his  real  troubles  come  of 
railway  trains  ? 

"  Well,  Leflare/'  I  said,  as  I  thought 
of  this  meteoric  financial  tour,  "  nothing 
came  of  all  that  enterprise,  did  it?" 

"  No — no — not'ing  came  of  dat." 


SUNDOWN'S  HIGHER   SELF 


SUNDOWN'S  HIGHER   SELF 


I  SAT  in  the  growing  dusk  of  my 
room  at  the  agency,  before  a  fire,  and 
was  somewhat  lonesome.  My  stay  was 
about  concluded,  and  I  dreaded  the 
long  ride  home  on  the  railroad — an  in 
stitution  which  I  wish  from  the  bottom 
of  my  heart  had  never  been  invented. 

The  front  door  opened  quietly,  and 
shut.  The  grating  or  sand-paper  sound 
of  moccasined  feet  came  down  the  hall, 
my  door  opened,  and  Sundown  Leflare 
stole  in. 

"  Maybeso  you  wan'   some   coal    on 
dees  fire  —  hey?"  he  observed,  looking 
in  at  the  top  of  the  stove. 
95 


SUNDOWN'S   HIGHER   SELF 

"  No,  thank  you  —  sit  down,"  I  re 
plied,  which  he  did,  performing  forth 
with  the  instinctive  act  of  making  a 
cigarette. 

"  Sundown,  I  am  going  home  to-mor 
row." 

"Where  you  was  go  home?"  came 
the  guttural  response. 

"  Back  East." 

"  Ah,  yees.  I  come  back  Eas'  myself 
—I  was  born  back  Eas'.  I  was  come 
out  here  long,  long  time  'go,  when  I 
was  boy." 

"  And  what  part  of  the  East  did  you 
come  from  ?" 

"  Well — Pembina  Reever — I  was  born 
een  dat  plass,  un  I  was  geet  be  good 
chunk  of  boy  een  dat  plass — un,  by  gar, 
I  wish  I  geet  be  dead  man  een  dat 
plass.  Maybeso  I  weel." 

"  You  think  you  will  go  back  some 
day?"  I  ventured. 

96 


SUNDOWN'S   HIGHER    SELF 

"  Oh,  yees — I  tink  eet  weel  all  come 
out  dat  way.  Some  day  dat  leetle  baby 
he  geet  ole  for  mak  de  travel,  un  I  go 
slow  back  dat  plass.  I  mak  dat  baby 
grow  up  where  dar  ees  de  white  woman 
un  de  pries'.  I  mak  heem  'ave  de  farm, 
un  not  go  run  roun'  deese  heel  on  de  dam 
pony."  Sundown  threw  away  his  ciga 
rette,  and  leaned  forward  on  his  hands. 

"You  are  a  Roman  Catholic?"  I 
asked. 

"  Yees,  I  am  Roman  Catholic.  Dose 
pries'  ees  de  only  peop'  what  care  de 
one  dam  'bout  de  poor  half-breed  En- 
jun.  You  good  man,  but  you  not  so 
good  man  lak  de  pries'.  You  go  run 
roun'  wid  de  soldier,  go  paint  up  deese 
Enjun,  un  den  go  back  Eas'  ;  maybeso 
nevair  see  you  'gain.  Pries'  he  stay 
where  we  stay,  un  he  not  all  de  while 
wan'  hear  how  I  raise  de  hell  ober  de 
country.  He  keep  say,  'You  be  good 
G  97 


SUNDOWN'S    HIGHER    SELF 

man,  Sundown';  un,  by  gar,  he  keep 
tell  me  how  for  be  good  man. 

"  I  be  pretty  good  man  now ;  maybe- 
so  eet  'cause  I  too  ole  for  be  bad  man  ;" 
and  Sundown's  cynicism  had  asserted 
itself,  whereat  we  laughed. 

It  occurred  to  me  that  time  had 
fought  for  the  priest  and  against  the 
medicine-man  in  these  parts,  and  I  so 
inquired. 

"Yees,-  dey  spleet  even  nowday. 
Pries'  he  bes'  man  for  half-breed;  but 
he  be  white  man,  un  course  he  not  know 
great  many  ting  what  dose  Enjun  know." 

"  Why,  doesn't  he  know  as  much  as 
the  medicine  -  man  ?"  came  my  infant- 
like  question. 

"  Oh,  well,  pries'  he  good  peop'  ;  all 
time  he  varrie  good  for  poor  Sundown ; 
but  I  keep  tell  you  he  ees  white  man. 
All  time  wan'  tak  care  of  me  wKen  I 
die.  Well,  all  right,  dees  Enjun  medi- 


SUNDOWN'S   HIGHER   SELF 

cine-man  she  tak  care  of  me  when  I  was 
leeve  sometime.  You  s'pose  I  wan'  die 
all  time?  No;  I  wan'  leeve  ;  un  1  got 
de  medicine  ober  een  my  tepee — varrie 
good  medicine.  Eet  tak  me  troo  good 
many  plass  where  I  not  geet  troo  may- 
beso." 

"  What  is  your  medicine,  Sundown  ?" 

"Ah,  you  nevair  min'  what  my  medi 
cine  ees.  You  white  man ;  what  you 
know  'bout  medicine  ?  I  see  you  'fraid 
dat  fores'  fire  out  dair  een  dose  moun 
tain.  You  ask  de  question  how  dose 
canyon  run.  Well,  you  not  be  so  'fraid 
you  'ave  de  medicine.  De  medicine 
she  tak  care  dose  fire. 

"  White  man  she  leeve  een  de  house  ; 
she  walk  een  de  road  ;  she  nevair  go 
half-mile  out  of  hees  one  plass;  un  I 
guess  all  de  medicine  he  care  'bout  he 
geet  een  hees  pocket. 

"  I  see  deese  soldier  stan'  up,  geet 
99 


SUNDOWN'S   HIGHER   SELF 

keel,  geet  freeze  all  up ;  don*  'pear  care 
much.  He  die  pretty  easy,  un  de  pries' 
he  all  time  talk  'bout  die,  un  dey  don't 
care  much  'bout  leeve.  All  time  deese 
die  :  eet  mak  me  seeck.  Enjun  she  wan' 
leeve,  un,  by  gar,  she  look  out  pretty 
sharp  'bout  eet  too. 

"  Maybeso  white  man  she  don'  need 
medicine.  White  man  she  don'  'pear 
know  enough  see  speeret.  Humph ! 
white  man  can't  see  wagon-track  on  de 
grass ;  don'  know  how  he  see  wagon- 
track  on  de  cloud.  Enjun  he  go  all 
ober  de  snow  ;  he  lie  een  de  dark  ;  he 
leeve  wid  de  win',  de  tunder — well,  he 
leeve  all  time  out  on  de  grass  —  night 
time — daytime — all  de  time." 

"Yes,  yes  —  certainly,  Sundown.  It 
is  all  very  strange  to  me,  but  how  can 
you  prove  to  me  that  good  comes  to  you 
which  is  due  to  your  medicine  alone  ?" 

"  Ah-h  —  my  medicine  —  when  weare 
100 


SUNDOWN'S   HIGHER    SELF 

she  evair  do  me  any  good  ?  Ah-h,  firs' 
time  I  evair  geet  my  medicine  she  save 
my  life — what  ?  She  do  me  great  deal 
good,  I  tell  you.  Eef  dose  pries'  be 
dair,  she  tell  me,  *  You  geet  ready  for 
die '  ;  but  I  no  wan'  die. 

"  Well,  fellar  name  Wauchihong  un 
me  was  trap  de  bevair  over  by  de  Sou- 
ris  Reever,  un  we  weare  not  geet  to  dat 
reever  one  night,  un  weare  lay  down  for 
go  sleep.  We  weare  not  know  where  we 
weare.  We  weare  wak  up  een  de  mid 
dle  of  dat  night,  un  de  plain  she  all 
great  beeg  grass  fire.  De  win'  she 
weare  blow  hard,  un  de  fire  she  come 
1  whew-o-o-o  !'  We  say,  where  we  run  ? 
My  medicine  she  tell  me  run  off  lef 
han',  un  Wauchihong  hees  medicine  tell 
heem  you  run  off  right -han'  way.  I 
weare  say  my  medicine  she  good  ;  he 
weare  say  hees  medicine  varrie  ole — 
have  done  de  great  ting — weare  nevair 
101 


SUNDOWN'S   HIGHER   SELF 

fail.  We  follow  our  medicine,  un  so 
we  weare  part.  I  run  varrie  fas',  un 
leetle  while  I  fall  een  de  Souris  Reever, 
un  den  I  know  dose  fire  she  not  geet 
Leflare.  My  medicine  was  good. 

"  Nex'  day  I  fin'  Wauchihong  dead. 
All  burn  —  all  black.  He  was  burn  up 
een  dose  fire  what  catch  heem  on  de 
plain.  De  win'  she  drove  de  fire  so  fas' 
he  could  do  not'ing,  un  hees  medicine 
she  lie  to  heem. 

"  You  s'pose  de  pries'  he  tole  me 
wheech  way  for  run  dat  night  ?  No  ; 
she  tell  me  behave  myself,  un  geet 
ready  for  die  right  dair?  Now  what 
you  tink?" 

Revelations  and  truths  of  this  sort 
were  overpowering,  and  no  desire  to 
change  a  man  of  Sundown's  age  and 
rarity  came  to  my  mind  ;  but  in  hopes 
I  said,  "  Did  it  ever  so  happen  that 
your  medicine  failed  you?" 


SUNDOWN'S   HIGHER   SELF 

"  My  medicine  she  always  good,  but 
medicine  ees  not  so  good  one  time  as 
nodder  time.  Do  you  s'pose  I  geet  dat 
soldier  order  to  Buford  eef  my  medi 
cine  bad?  But  de  medicine  she  was 
not  ac'  varrie  well  dat  time. 

"  Deed  you  evair  lie  down  alone  een 
de  bottom  of  de  Black  Canyon  for  pass 
de  night  ?  I  s'pose  you  tink  dair  not'ing 
but  bear  een  dat  canyon  ;  but  I  'ave  'ear 
dem  speerets  dance  troo  dat  canyon,  un 
I  'ave  see  dem  shoot  troo  dem  pine-tree 
when  I  was  set  on  de  rim-rock.  Deed  you 
evair  see  de  top  of  dose  reever  een  de 
moonlight  ?  What  you  know  'bout  what 
ees  een  dat  reever  ?  White  man  he  don* 
know  so  much  he  tink  he  know.  Guess 
de  speeret  don'  come  een  de  board  house, 
but  she  howl  roun'  de  tepee  een  de  win- 
tair  night.  Enjun  see  de  speerets  dance 
un  talk  plenty  een  de  lodge  fire ;  white 
man  he  see  not'ing  but  de  coffee  boil. 
103 


SUNDOWN'S   HIGHER   SELF 

"  White  men  mak  de  wagon,  un  de 
seelver  dollar,  un  de  dam  railroad,  un 
he  tink  dat  ees  all  dair  ees  een  de  coun 
try  ;"  and  Sundown  left  off  with  a  gut 
tural  "  humph,"  which  was  the  midship 
shot  of  disaster  for  me. 

"  But  you  don't  tell  the  priest  about 
this  medicine?" 

"No  —  what  ees  de  use  for  tell  de 
pries'  ? — he  ees  white  man." 

I  asked  Sundown  what  was  the  great 
est  medicine  he  ever  knew,  and  he  did 
not  answer  until,  fired  by  my  doubts, 
he  continued,  slowly,  "  My  medicine  ees 
de  great  medicine." 

A  critic  must  be  without  fear,  since 
he  can  never  fully  comprehend  the  in 
tent  of  other  minds,  so  I  saw  that  fort 
une  must  favor  my  investigations,  for 
I  knew  not  how  to  proceed  ;  but  know 
ing  that  action  is  life,  I  walked  quickly 
to  my  gripsack  and  took  out  my  sil- 
104 


SUNDOWN'S   HIGHER   SELF 

ver  pocket  -  flask,  saying  :  "  You  know, 
Sundown,  very  well,  that  it  is  dead 
against  the  rule  to  give  a  redskin  a 
drink  on  a  United  States  agency,  but  I 
am  going  to  give  you  one  if  you  will 
promise  me  not  to  go  out  and  talk 
about  it  in  this  collection  of  huts.  Are 
you  with  me  ?" 

"  Long-Spur — we  pretty  good  frien' 
— hey  ?  I  weel  not  say  a  ting." 

Then  the  conventionalities  were  gone 
through  with,  and  they  are  doubtless 
familiar  to  many  of  my  readers. 

"  Now  I  tole  you  dees  ting  —  what 
was  de  great  medicine — but  I  don'  wan' 
you  for  go  out  here  een  de  village  un 
talk  no  more  dan  I  talk— are  you  me  ?" 

"  I  am  you,"  and  we  forgathered. 

"  Now  le's  see  ;  I  weel  tole  you  'bout 
de  bigges*  medicine,"  and  he  made  a 
cigarette. 

"  You  aire  young  man — I  guess  may- 
105 


SUNDOWN'S   HIGHER   SELF 

beso  you  not  born  when  I  was  be  medi 
cine-man  ;  but  eet  was  bad  medicine  for 
Absaroke,  un  you  mus'  not  say  a  ting 
'bout  dees  to  dem.  I  am  good  frien' 
here  now,  but  een  dose  day  I  was  good 
frien'  of  de  Piegan,  un  dey  wan'  come 
down  here  to  de  Absaroke  un  steal  de 
pony.  De  party  was  geet  ready  —  eet 
was  ten  men,  un  we  come  on  de  foot. 
We  come  'long  slow  troo  de  mountain 
un  was  hunt  for  de  grub.  Aftair  long 
time  we  was  fin'  de  beeg  Crow  camp — 
we  was  see  eet  from  de  top  of  de  Pryor 
Mountain.  Den  we  go  'way  back  up 
head  of  de  canyon,  'way  een  dat  plass 
where  de  timber  she  varrie  tick,  un  we 
buil'  de  leetle  log  fort,  'bout  as  beeg  as 
t'ree  step  'cross  de  meddle.  We  was 
wan'  one  plass  for  keep  de  dry  meat ; 
we  weare  not  wan'  any  one  for  see  our 
fire ;  un  we  weare  put  up  de  beeg  fight 
dair  eef  de  Absaroke  she  roun'  us  up. 
1 06 


WE  COME  'LONG  SLOW  TROO  DE  MOUNTAIN  " 


SUNDOWN'S   HIGHER   SELF 

"  Een  dose  day  de  Enjun  he  not 
come  een  de  mountain  varrie  much — 
dey  was  hunt  de  buffalo  on  de  flat,  but 
maybeso  she  come  een  de  mountain, 
un  we  watch  out  varrie  sharp.  Every 
night,  jus'  sundown,  we  go  out  —  each 
man  by  hees  self,  un  we  watch  dat  beeg 
camp  un  de  horse  ban's.  Eet  was  'way 
out  on  de  plain  great  many  mile.  White 
man  lak  you  he  see  not'ing,  but  de  En 
jun  he  mak  out  de  tepee  un  de  pony.  I 
was  always  see  much  bettair  dan  de  od- 
dar  Enjun — varrie  much  bettair  —  un 
when  we  come  back  to  de  log  fort  for 
smoke  de  pipe,  I  was  tole  dose  Enjun 
jus*  how  de  country  lay,  un  where  de 
bes'  plass  for  catch  dem  pony." 

I  think  one  who  has  ever  looked  at 
the  Western  landscape  from  a  moun 
tain-top  will  understand  what  Sundown 
intended  by  this  extensive  view.  If 
one  has  never  seen  it,  words  will  hardly 
107 


SUNDOWN'S   HIGHER   SELF 

tell  him  how  it  stretches  away,  red, 
yellow,  blue,  in  a  prismatic  way,  shaded 
by  cloud  forms  and  ending  among  them 
— a  sort  of  topograghical  map.  I  can 
think  of  nothing  else,  except  that  it  is 
an  unreal  thing  to  look  at. 

"  Well,  for  begeen  wid,  one  man  she 
always  go  alone  ;  nex'  night  noddair  man 
go.  Firs'  man  she  'ave  de  bes'  chance, 
un  eet  geet  varrie  bad  for  las'  man, 
'cause  dose  Enjun  dey  catch  on  to  de 
game  un  watch  un  go  roun'  for  cut  de 
trail.  But  de  Enjun  horse-t'ief  he  mak 
de  trail  lak  de  snake  —  eet  varrie  hard 
for  peek  up. 

"  I  was  'ave  de  idea  I  geet  de  medi 
cine-man,  un  I  tole  dem  dey  don'  know 
not'ing  'cause  dey  cannot  see,  un  I  tole 
dem  I  see  everyting ;  see  right  troo 
de  cloud.  I  say  each  dose  Enjun  now 
you  do  jus'  what  I  tole  you,  den  you 
fin'  de  pony. 

1 08 


SUNDOWN'S   HIGHER   SELF 

"  So  de  firs'  man  he  was  start  off  een 
de  afternoon,  un  we  see  heem  no  more. 
When  de  man  was  geet  de  horse,  un 
maybeso  de  scalp,  he  skin  out  for  de 
Piegan  camp. 

"  Nex'  night  noddair  man  she  go  start 
off  late  een  de  afternoon,  un  I  go  wid 
heem,  un  I  sais,  'You  stay  here,  pull 
your  robe  ovair  your  head,  un  I  go  een 
de  brush  un  mak  de  medicine  for  tell 
where  ees  good  plass  for  heem  to  go.' 
When  I  was  mak  de  medicine  I  come 
back,  un  we  set  dair  on  de  mountain, 
un  I  tell  heem  where  he  go  'way  out 
dair  on  de  plain.  I  sais :  '  You  go 
down  dees  canyon  un  follow  de  creek 
down,  un  twenty-five  mile  out  dair  you 
fin'  de  horse  ban'.  You  can  sleep  one 
night  een  de  plass  where  I  was  point 
heem  out — den  you  geet  de  pony.  Eef 
you  not  fin'  eet  so,  I  am  not  medicine 
man.' 

109 


SUNDOWN'S   HIGHER   SELF 

"  So  dees  man  was  go.  One  man  she 
go  every  night,  un  I  was  set  een  de  log 
fort  all  'lone  las'  night.  I  was  say  eef 
deese  Enjun  she  do  what  I  tole  heem,  I 
be  beeg  great  medicine-man  dees  time. 
Den  I  geet  varrie  much  scare,  for  I  was 
las'  man,  un  dose  Absaroke  dey  sure  be 
gin  see  our  trail,  un  I  put  out  de  fire 
een  de  log  fort,  un  I  go  off  down  de 
mountain  for  geet  'way  from  de  trail 
what  deese  Enjun  she  mak.  I  was  wan* 
mak  de  fire  on  dees  mountain,  'cause 
she  jus'  'live  wid  dose  grizz'ily  bear.  I 
varrie  much  'fraid  —  I  sleep  een  de  tree 
dat  night,  un  jus'  come  day  I  was  go 
down  de  creek  een  de  canyon.  I  was 
walk  een  de  water  un  walk  on  de  rocks. 
I  was  geet  beeg  ban'  elk  to  run  ovair 
my  trail.  I  was  walk  'long  de  rim-rock, 
un  was  geet  pretty  well  down  een  de 
plain.  I  was  sleep  dat  night  een  de  old 
bear-cave,  un  I  was  see  dees  camp  pretty 
no 


SUNDOWN'S   HIGHER   SELF 

well.  Eet  was  good  plass,  'bout  ten 
mile  out  een  de  uppair  valley  of  de 
Beeg-Horn  Reever,  but  I  was  'ave  be 
careful,  for  dose  Enjun  dey  weare  run 
all  ovair  de  country  hunt  deese  horse- 
t'ief  tracks.  Oh,  I  see  dem  varrie  well. 
I  see  Enjun  come  up  my  canyon  un 
pass  by  me  so  near  I  hear  dem  talk.  I 
was  scare. 

"  Jus'  come  dark  I  crawl  up  on  de 
rim-rock,  un  eet  was  rain  hard.  Enjun 
she  no  lak  de  rain,  so  I  sais  :  '  I  go 
down  now.  I  keep  out  een  de  heel,  for 
I  see  varrie  much  bettair  dan  de  Absa- 
roke,  un  eef  I  tink  dey  see  me  I  drop 
een  de  sage-bush.'  "  And  here  Sundown 
laughed,  but  I  did  not  think  such  hide- 
and-seek  was  very  funny. 

"  Eet  geet  varrie  dark,  un  I  walk  up 

to  dees  camp,  not   more  dan  ten  step 

from  de  tepee.     I  tak  de  dry  meat  off 

de   pole  un  trow  eet  to  dose   dog   for 

in 


SUNDOWN'S   HIGHER   SELF 

mak  dem  keep  still  while  I  was  hear  de 
Absaroke  laugh  un  talk.  De  dog  he 
bark  not  so  much  at  de  Enjun  as  eef  I 
be  de  white  man  ;  jus'  same  de  white  man 
dog  he  bite  de  dam  leg  off  de  Enjun. 

"  I  cut  de  rope  two  fine  pony  what 
was  tie  up  near  de  lodge,  un  I  know 
deese  weare  war-pony  or  de  strong  buffa 
lo-horse.  I  lead  dem  out  of  dose  camp. 
Eet  was  no  use  for  try  geet  more  as  de 
two  pony,  for  I  could  not  run  dem  een 
de  dark  night.  I  feel  dem  all  ovair  for 
see  dey  all  right.  I  could  not  see  much. 
Den  I  ride  off." 

"  You  got  home  all  right,  I  suppose?" 
"Eef  I  not  geet  home  all  right,  by 
gar,  I  nevair  geet  home  'tall.  Dey 
chasse  me,  I  guess,  but  I  'ave  de  good 
long  start,  un  I  leave  varrie  bad  trail,  I 
tink.  Man  wid  de  led  horse  he  can 
leave  blind  trail  more  def  rent  dan  when 
he  drive  de  pony. 

112 


SUNDOWN'S   HIGHER   SELF 

"  When  I  geet  to  dat  Piegan  camp  I 
was  fin'  all  dose  Enjun  'cept  one:  he 
was  nevair  come  back.  Un  I  sais  my 
medicine  she  ees  good  ;  she  see  where 
no  one  can  see.  Dey  all  sais  my  medi 
cine  she  varrie  strong  for  steal  de  pony. 
I  was  know  ting  what  no  man  she  see. 
Dey  was  all  fin'  de  camp  jus'  as  I  say 
so.  I  was  geet  be  strong  een  dat  camp, 
un  dey  all  say  I  see  bes'  jus'  at  sundown, 
un  dey  always  call  me  de  sundown  medi 
cine." 

I  asked,  "  How  did  it  happen  that 
you  could  see  so  much  better  than  the 
others ;  was  it  your  medicine  which 
made  it  possible  ?" 

"  No.  I  was  fool  dose  Enjun.  I  was 
'ave  a  new  pair  of  de  fiel'-glass  what  I 
was  buy  from  a  white  man,  un  I  was 
not  let  dose  Enjun  see  dem — dat  ees 
how." 

"  So,  you  old  fraud,  it  was  not  your 
H  113 


SUNDOWN'S   HIGHER   SELF 

medicine,  but  the  field-glasses?"  and  I 
jeered  him. 

"  Ah,  dam  white  man,  she  nevair  un- 
derstan'  de  medicine.  De  medicine 
not  'ave  anyting  to  do  wid  de  fiel'- 
glass ;  but  how  you  know  what  happen 
to  me  een  dat  canyon  on  dat  black 
night?  How  you  know  dat?  Eef  eet 
not  for  my  medicine,  maybeso  I  not 
be  here.  I  see  dose  speeret  —  dey 
was  come  all  roun'  me  —  but  my  med 
icine  she  strong,  un  dey  not  touch 
me." 

"  Have  a  drink,  Sundown,"  I  said, 
and  we  again  forgathered.  The  wild 
man  smacked  his  lips. 

"  I  say,  Sundown,  I  have  always 
treated  you  well ;  I  want  you  to  tell 
me  just  what  that  medicine  is  like,  over 
there  in  your  tepee." 

"  Ah,  dat  medicine.  Well,  she  ees 
leetle  bagful  of  de  bird  claw,  de  wolf 
114 


SUNDOWN'S   HIGHER   SELF 

tooth,  t'ree  arrow-head,  un  two  bullet 
what  'ave  go  troo  my  body." 

"  Is  that  all  ?" 

"  Ah,  you  white  man !" 


THE  END 


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